International Food Atlas Webinar: Exploring Food Heritage through a UNESCO-Supported Initiative
IGCAT recently hosted the “International Food Atlas” webinar, presenting an ambitious global initiative to document, safeguard, and transmit foodways as living heritage. The session was organised by IGCAT and led by IGCAT Expert, Majed AlMuhanna from the Culinary Arts Commission of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and representative of Aseer, World Region of Gastronomy 2024. Majed AlMuhanna presented the International Food Atlas as the […]
IGCAT Endorses the UNESCO Food Atlas as an Urgent Tool to Safeguard Foodways
UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, 22–23 July 2025 IGCAT participated in a high-level international meeting co-organised by UNESCO and the Culinary Arts Commission of the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, focused on the development of a Food Atlas. This initiative aims to serve as an indispensable repository of traditional knowledge, community-based practices, and […]
Boosting the power of co-creation at the 10th IGCAT Experts Meeting
Gastronomy as a key to local development, cross-sectoral collaboration, engaging local communities, the importance of education and life-long learning to secure a sustainable future, were among the topics discussed at the 10th IGCAT Experts Meeting hosted by Aseer, World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2024 on 22 April 2024. Organised at King Khalid University in Abha, […]
Promoting Aseer’s food and crafts producers
Aseer, World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2024 is supporting local food and crafts artisans to innovate their products through sustainability and engaging storytelling. As part of this process, on 27-28 February and 1 March 2023 over 20 local craftspeople from the region took part in a workshop to gain knowledge and useful tools to enhance […]
IGCAT and Slow Food join forces to support sustainable food futures
IGCAT and Slow Food have joined forces to support the safeguard and promotion of cultural, food and biodiversity. This new collaboration was formalised on 15 December at the Saudi Feast Food Festival in Riyadh, where a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between President of IGCAT, Diane Dodd PhD and Director General of Slow Food, Paolo Di Croce. Thanks to the Culinary […]
Aseer 2024 is the first World Region of Gastronomy
The Aseer region (Saudi Arabia) has been officially awarded the title of World Region of Gastronomy 2024 by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT). They are the first region outside Europe to earn this important accolade that recognises Aseer’s commitment to protect and promote local food and cultural uniqueness. The title […]
Aseer recommended for World Region of Gastronomy 2024 title
An international jury comprising of four international experts accompanied by IGCAT’s President, Diane Dodd PhD considered the application of Aseer region for the title World Region of Gastronomy 2024. After reviewed the bid book submitted on 31 December 2021 they took part in a jury visit to the region from 27 February until 1 March […]
