The International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT) is proud to highlight that its 1st World Gastronomy Summit, hosted by Catalonia as World Region of Gastronomy 2025, served as a major platform for advancing gastronomy’s role in cultural policy. The Summit culminated in the adoption of the Declaration on Food at the Heart of Cultural Policy and Community Well-being, which was later formally delivered at MONDIACULT 2025 in Barcelona by IGCAT’s President and Vice President.
As an official side event of the Conference, IGCAT’s 1st World Gastronomy Summit convened global cultural leaders, policymakers, chefs, producers, and experts to champion the integration of food into cultural, agricultural, tourism, and education policies. Participants included representatives from UNESCO, Slow Food, Crop Trust, Future Food Institute, The Food Capitals by Délice Network, as well as chefs, producers, and civil society leaders.
The Declaration calls upon governments, international organisations, regional bodies, and civil society to:
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Recognising food as cultural heritage, and integrating it fully into cultural, agricultural, tourism, and education policies;
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Supporting local and regional initiatives that promote sustainable food systems grounded in evolving cultural traditions, promoting cuisine and its ingredients;
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Empowering youth and communities to preserve and innovate upon their gastronomic heritage with pride, investing in producers and protecting regions’ ways of life;
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Encouraging research and storytelling that document and celebrate food traditions across the globe;
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Fostering inclusive dialogue that bridges cultures and generations through the shared language of food.
“Food is not just fuel – it is our culture, our roots, and our shared identity,” said Dr. Diane Dodd, IGCAT President. “Recognising gastronomy as an essential part of cultural policy is key to shaping inclusive, creative, and sustainable futures for all communities.”
The Declaration, adopted during Catalonia’s tenure as World Region of Gastronomy 2025, highlights the critical role of gastronomy in safeguarding cultural diversity, promoting sustainable development, and fostering social cohesion. Inspired by UNESCO’s leadership in recognising foodways as part of the world’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, it marks a milestone in a growing global movement to place food at the centre of cultural policy and community well-being.
Through its leadership, IGCAT continues to demonstrate that food and culture are inseparable pillars for building a more equitable, resilient, and culturally rich world. The presentation of the Declaration at MONDIACULT 2025 ensures that gastronomy’s voice is central to the global dialogue on culture, sustainability, and community well-being.
