On 18 to 19 June 2014 the II International Meeting of Project Partners for the European Region of Gastronomy project took place in Sant Pol de Mar, organised by IGCAT (International Institute for Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism, based in the same town).
In the framework of this meeting, IGCAT also hosted the 1st meeting of stakeholders from the Province of Barcelona and Catalonia interested in joining the European Region of Gastronomy project and chaired by Dr. Jordi Tresserress, Director of LABPATC: Laboratory for Heritage and Cultural Tourism of the University of Barcelona and delegate of the Catalan institute for Culinery and Cultural Gastronomy.
Prof. Dr. Greg Richards, President of IGCAT, opened the meeting with a short explanation about the European Region of Gastronomy project which aims to support local and regional food cultures. He outlined that each region should be represented by public, private and academic institutions interested in supporting the visibility, credibility and cohesion of food cultures in Europe.
Each region will work to establish specific links between food, hospitality, tourism, culture and health as a way to develop economic, cultural, social and environmental. In doing so, they will establish strong links between the participating regions and foster a space for the exchange of ideas between them.
Within these objectives, exceptional region will be awarded the title, ‘European Region of Gastronomy’ for one year when the region will be encouraged to raise the visibility of cultural and culinary traditions and innovations by developing educational and cultural programmes.
The Mayoress of Sant Pol de Mar, Montserrat Garrido, gave her full support to the project and welcomed both the international regional representatives and representatives from the different Catalan academic and public institutions present at the meetings.
Representatives from various Departments of the Government of Catalonia, the Catalan Tourist Board, the University of Barcelona, the Barcelona Provincial Council, the Tourist Board of the Costa del Maresme and EUHT St Pol participated in the meeting. The meeting took place in EUHT St Pol university hospitality school in Sant Pol de Mar: a perfect setting for such a meeting, that accommodated important decisions on the future of food, culture, arts and tourism.
County councils of Barcelona, especially the Coast of Barcelona and other Catalan Gastroregions, valued the meeting and in the coming weeks will make a proposal to join the initiative as a coordinated unit.
For more information contact IGCAT: info@igcat.org