The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Gastronomy Day is annually observed across the globe on 18 June to raise public awareness about Gastronomy (the art of food) and its contribution to sustainable development.
- The Day also recognises the practices and principles associated with sustainable food consumption, including the art of food collection, preparation, and consumption.
The annual observance of the Day is led by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO).
Background:
i.On 21 December 2016, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/71/246, proclaiming 18 June of every year as Sustainable Gastronomy Day.
- The resolution recognises gastronomy as a cultural expression tied to global natural and cultural diversity.
ii.The 1st ever Sustainable Gastronomy Day was observed on 18 June 2017.
Note: Sustainable Gastronomy celebrates the seasonal ingredients and producers, and preserves wildlife and culinary traditions in today’s context.
Initiatives of the UNESCO and the FAO:
i.In 2004, the UNESCO launched its flagship city program, UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) to promote cooperation and sharing of best practices across 7 creative fields, including gastronomy.
- UCCN promotes cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.
Note: As of June 2024, UNESCO added 55 cities to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN). Of these 55 cities, 7 cities – Battambang(Cambodia); Chaozhou(China); Fribourg(Switzerland); Gangneung(South Korea); Herakleion(Greece); Iloilo City(Philippines); and Nkongsamba(Cameroon) – represent the creative field of Gastronomy.
UCCN includes 2 Indian cities Gwalior(Madhya Pradesh) – Music and Kozhikode(Kerala) – Literature
ii.UNESCO promotes sustainability in the gastronomy/food service sector by encouraging the use of clean energy sources like gas and electricity instead of coal and prioritising natural gas over other carbon-intensive fuels.
iii.The FAO encourages countries to incorporate sustainability principles into their national dietary guidelines, promoting “green culture diets” that are healthy and environmentally sustainable.
Understanding Sustainable Gastronomy:
i.Gastronomy refers to a style of cooking from a specific region and often refers to local food and cuisine.
ii.Sustainability is a practice that conserves natural resources, ensuring a harmless environment or health.
iii.Sustainable Gastronomy is a cuisine considering ingredient sources, farming methods, and food transportation.
Note: Sustainable Gastronomy promotes food security, agricultural development, sustainable food production, nutrition, conservation of biodiversity, and sustainable development.
About the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO):
The FAO established in 1945, is a specialised agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
Director-General– QU Dongyu
Headquarters– Rome, Italy
