Cultivating a flavourful and sustainable future: UNESCO completes seminar on culinary tourism in South-East Asia

'Sustainable Gastronomical Experience in UNESCO Locales', a seminar under the auspices of UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok, held at Amari Bangkok Hotel on 3 February 2024 proved a lively gathering for exploring the prospects for a flavourful and fully sustainable tourism future in the region. The seminar was made possible with the generous support of Thailand's Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA), ASEAN-Türkiye Cooperation, K11, International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (CRIHAP), and ONYX Hospitality Group. The seminar was facilitated with the collaboration of The City Connext and b.Consulting Cambodia.

UNESCO/City Connext

The 'Sustainable Gastronomical Experience' seminar featured distinguished speakers Dr Chuwit Mitrchob, Deputy Director-General of DASTA, who spoke on 'UNESCO Creative Cities and Gastronomy'; and Bangkok Deputy Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon, who presented local case studies underscoring the transformative impact of design and creativity in addressing urban challenges.

UNESCO/City Connext

Speakers were followed by a lively panel discussion by five regional experts: Pareena Prayukvong, Association Manager for The NETWORK and Co-founder of Bangkok Rooftop Farming SE; Sean Too, Waste Specialist for Sentinel Solution Thailand Co., Ltd.; Kimsan Pol, Culinary Director, Embassy Khmer Gastronomy; Vishvas Sidana, Sommelier, Haoma Bangkok; and Watcharee Churugsa, Assistant to Director-General of DASTA.

UNESCO and DASTA

Dr Mitrchob's talk offered insights into the criteria qualifying a city for membership in the UNESCO Creative Cities network. His presentation shed light on the integral role of government organizations in driving sustainable tourism development, and he suggested that DASTA should serve to foster the development of designated areas for sustainable tourism.

UNESCO and BMA

Deputy Governor Sanon Wangsrangboon spoke on innovative initiatives of Bangkok Design Week, and presented an example of community-driven sustainability ethos in the donation-driven 'supermarket', BKK Food Bank, which is destined for expansion into all 50 districts of the Thai capital. He further highlighted the potential of creative solutions for fostering sustainability.

UNESCO

The panel following the main presentations delved further into the intersection of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) with sustainable food practices, emphasizing community involvement and collaboration as pivotal elements for success. The day culminated with a glimpse into the future of sustainable gastronomy as represented by the new Bangkok restaurant ChomSindh, which features sustainable and locally authentic cuisine.

UNESCO and ChomSindh

From policy interventions to grassroots initiatives, the event underscored the imperative of collective efforts towards preserving culinary traditions, supporting local economies, and safeguarding precious ecosystems.

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