As part of the 2026 Turkish Cuisine Week, the Directorate of Communications will organise a series of events in Gaziantep — one of Türkiye’s cities designated in the field of gastronomy within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network — on 21–22 May 2026. The programme will feature a workshop and panel, as well as culinary workshops, tasting events, and cultural tours.
The panel titled “Gastrodiplomacy in Gaziantep: The Heritage Table” will explore the historical roots of Turkish cuisine and table culture from the perspectives of cultural diplomacy and nation branding.
Gaziantep’s identity as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, together with its local culinary heritage and traditional production culture, will be evaluated within the framework of Türkiye’s gastrodiplomacy vision. The significance of the theme “Heritage Table” will also be highlighted in the context of the culture of sharing, family memory, and cultural continuity.
The workshop titled “Gastrodiplomacy Model and Cooperation Mechanisms for Gaziantep” will address policy recommendations on how Türkiye-specific multi-stakeholder cooperation mechanisms can be transformed into a sustainable and institutionalised gastrodiplomacy model. The workshop also aims to develop a practical roadmap to strengthen the city’s gastrodiplomacy capacity in an integrated manner with the Türkiye brand, while taking into account the international cooperation opportunities offered by membership in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of gastronomy.
As part of the event, culinary workshops, tasting programmes, and cultural city tours will also be organised for representatives of relevant public institutions and organisations active in the field of gastrodiplomacy, leading members of academia, local government stakeholders, members of the press, and social media content creators.