The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) in collaboration with the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China and the Centre for Arts and Culture, FCT Abuja is set to host the United Nations Global Observance of Sustainable Gastronomy Day.
The event which is scheduled to hold on Friday, 18th June 2021 at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture, Area 10, Garki, Abuja is the fifth in the world and the first of its kind in Nigeria.
This year’s theme; Nations, Foods, Cultures and Partnerships for Sustainable Developments, the event will portray varieties of Nigerian delicacies and foreign cuisines that will last for the rest of the day.
It was on December 21st 2016, that the United Nations General Assembly, adopted Resolution 71/246 which declared that the 18th June of every year be observed as a Sustainable Gastronomy Day.
The first observance of ‘Sustainable Gastronomy Day’ was on Sunday, 18th June 2017 ehich makes this year’s observance the fifth globally, and the first in Nigeria, championed by NIHOTOUR, the nation’s apex public Agency responsible for training, research and regulation of professional practice in the Travel-Tourism and Hospitality industry.
Gastronomy is a cultural expression of nations through their food choices, sources of ingredients and types of cuisines which thrives in culturally rich destinations like Nigeria as the most competitive Gastronomy tourist destination in Africa because of our corresponding unique foods culture and enticing cuisines of international repute, such as the popular Nigerian Jollof.
The Concept of Sustainable Gastronomy seeks to promote cultural cuisines and sustainable diets. The term compels hospitality service providers and ‘food tourists’ to focus on the variety and benefits of native ingredients in local cuisines, to enhance sustainable production, consumption and to highlight humanity’s variety of food systems.
