The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR, is hosting the United Nations Global Observance of Sustainable Gastronomy Day, the fifth in the world and the first in Nigeria today, Friday, June 18, 2021 in collaboration with the Embassy of the Peoples Republic of China and the Centre for Arts and Culture, FCT, Abuja.
Themed: ‘Nations, Foods, Cultures and Partnerships for Sustainable Developments,’ the event is scheduled to hold at the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture, Area 10, Garki, Abuja, beginning from 10:00am with an opening ceremony, and the exhibition of varieties of Nigerian delicacies and foreign cuisines, that will last for the rest of the day.
Recall that on December 21, 2016, 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, which 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.
