Azerbaijan's gastro-tourism opportunities were showcased at an international festival held in Italy.

Azerbaijan's gastro-tourism potential was showcased at the "Terra Madre Salone del Gusto 2026" international gastronomy festival, held in Turin, Italy, from September 24 to 27.

At the festival, which focused on the theme "Biodiversity in the Spotlight," the country's gastronomic heritage, local biodiversity, traditional food products, and small-scale producers were highlighted through the "Azerbaijan: Biodiversity, Heritage, and Taste" national stand, established by the State Tourism Agency.

In a special address at the event's opening, King Charles III of the United Kingdom stated that the ancestral knowledge of land and seed preservation held by Indigenous peoples represents the only path to overcoming the climate crisis. In his message to the participants, the King spoke of Carlo Petrini, describing him as a figure who embodied common sense, humanism, and civilized values ​​in a world that is in dire need of them. The King added that today, the mission of the "Slow Food" movement is of more vital and urgent importance than ever before.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, noted that the preservation of biodiversity is not merely a natural phenomenon but also a matter of "food democracy and freedom."

At the gastronomy festival, representatives from the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan National Culinary Center—which operates under its jurisdiction—presented the "Slow Food Travel" route for the Greater Caucasus region at the national stand. They also showcased activities focused on applying the "Slow Food" approach to gastronomy tourism in Azerbaijan, preserving local biodiversity, and promoting traditional products.

The national stand displayed products representing various regions of Azerbaijan, including heirloom hazelnuts, diverse types of honey, tea, local rice and wheat varieties, traditional jams and pickles, as well as local biodiversity products registered in the "Ark of Taste" catalog. Master Chef Kenan Balashov utilized biodiversity samples registered in the "Ark of Taste" catalog and traditional cooking methods... ...presented product pairings based on...

At the gastronomy festival, a menu featuring modern interpretations of national cuisine was presented for tasting by local chefs and farmers, highlighting Azerbaijan's traditional confectionery and tea culture. Visitors were offered *qovut*, *shekerbura*, *pakhlava*, hazelnut halva, *samani* halva, *anjirfaraj*, and other traditional products.

Azerbaijan was also represented in the festival's official program. During the "Taste Workshop" session titled "Azerbaijan Flavored with Honey," held on September 25, the country's beekeeping traditions, various types of honey, and the use of honey in national cuisine were showcased to an international audience.

Memorable moments unfolded at the "Azerbaijan Flavored with Honey" workshop organized by the Azerbaijani delegation. Pastry chef Betül Huseynli employed ancient traditional techniques to prepare halva from *Qaraqilchiq* wheat—one of the national products included in the "Taste Ship" (*Dad Gemisi*) catalog.

The aroma of *qovut* and natural Caucasian honey wafting through the streets of Turin drew hundreds of foreign tourists, who formed long queues in front of the stand. The central figure of this tasting workshop was a beekeeper from the Gabala region... It is a natural honey produced by Sabuhi Nabiyev using sustainable farming methods and without any additives.

Through tastings and live demonstrations, the seminar gave participants the opportunity to understand how the preservation of endangered Azerbaijani recipes and flavors can be combined with sustainability and the safeguarding of the country's cultural heritage.
It is worth noting that this honey is not merely a food product but also an ally of the environment; bees feeding on the natural flora of forests and mountains protect the local ecosystem and contribute to preserving its botanical uniqueness. Honey varieties produced by the Caucasian grey bee—a species that is relocated ten times a year—hold a special place in this market.
During the festival, business meetings were held at the national stand with Paolo Di Croce, Executive Director of Slow Food, and Yasmina Lokmanoğlu, Coordinator of the Slow Food Turkey network.

It should be recalled that "Terra Madre Salone del Gusto" is one of the flagship international events of the Slow Food movement. The festival focuses on preserving biodiversity and local food heritage, promoting sustainable food systems, supporting small-scale producers, and fostering international knowledge and... ...aimed at strengthening the exchange of experience. Azerbaijan was represented by a national stand at the "Terra Madre Salone del Gusto" festival in 2022 and 2024, and the "Terra Madre Shaki" event was held in the city of Shaki in 2025.