WORLD GASTRONOMY SUMMIT programme overview
Organised by IGCAT and hosted by the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025, the 1st World Gastronomy Summit will take place in Palau Pedralbes in Barcelona, on 27 September 2025.
Programme Overview
08.15h – 08.50h
REGISTRATIONS
INSCRIPCIONS
09.00h
THE MASTER OF CEREMONIES WELCOMES THE AUDIENCE
EL MESTRE/ LA MESTRA DE CERIMÒNIES DONA LA BENVINGUDA AL PÚBLIC
09.05h
OPENING THE 1ST WORLD GASTRONOMY SUMMIT
INAUGURACIÓ DE LA 1A CIMERA MUNDIAL DE LA GASTRONOMIA
09.10h
WELCOME FROM CATALONIA, WORLD REGION OF GASTRONOMY 2025
BENVINGUDA A CATALUNYA, REGION MUNDIAL DE LA GASTRONOMÍA 2025
09.20h
UNESCO’S ENGAGEMENT IN SAFEGUARDING FOODWAYS AS LIVING HERITAGE
EL COMPROMÍS DE LA UNESCO EN LA SALVAGUARDA DELS FOODWAYS COM A PATRIMONI VIU
09.30h
CATALAN CUISINE
TURISME DE LES NACIONES UNIDES PER A LES PERSONES, EL PLANETA I LA PROSPERITAT
09.40h
A YOUNG PERSPECTIVE ON CATALAN CUISINE, HERITAGE AND ITS FUTURE
UNA PERSPECTIVA JOVE SOBRE LA CUINA CATALANA, EL SEU PATRIMONI I EL SEU FUTUR
09.45h
GASTRONOMIC CHALLENGES
GASTRONOMIA, REPTES I OPORTUNITATS
10.00h–10.50h PLENARY 1
FOOD AT THE HEART OF CULTURE: A NEW PARADIGM FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE
L’ALIMENTACIÓ AL COR DE LA CULTURA: UN NOU PARADIGMA PER A LA POLÍTICA I LA PRÀCTICA
This plenary session, moderated by Dr. Edith Szivas Vice-President IGCAT, will explore the transformative potential of placing food at the heart of cultural, social, and environmental agendas. As the world faces growing challenges around sustainability, identity, and community well-being, there is a pressing need to rethink the role of food beyond nutrition and commerce. Inspired by the Food Strategy for Catalonia 2025-2028, this discussion will present a new paradigm for policy and practice, showcasing how food can serve as a connector across sectors such as agriculture, education, tourism, and environmental protection. The session will also examine how gastronomy can drive innovation and creativity, promote regional distinctiveness, and support food and cultural sovereignty.
The invited speakers from across the globe —ranging from policymakers and institutional leaders to grassroots innovators and international advocates—will provide a rich tapestry of perspectives to inspire integrated, forward-thinking approaches that recognize food as a vital pillar of cultural development. Speakers will share experiences from diverse regional and cultural contexts, offering practical examples of how food strategies can contribute to preserving cultural heritage, building resilient rural economies, empowering youth, and fostering inclusion.
10.50h – 11.30h Health Break | Pausa
11.30h – 12.30h | PLENARY 2
THE CULTURAL VALUE OF FOOD: SHAPING FUTURE POLICIES
EL VALOR CULTURAL DE L’ALIMENTACIÓ: DONANT FORMA A LES POLÍTIQUES FUTURES
This plenary session, moderated by Omar Valdez, IGCAT Board, will examine the cultural value of food and its critical role in shaping future policies for healthier, more inclusive, and resilient societies. Recognizing food as more than a commodity, the discussion will explore how culinary heritage, traditional foodways, and local knowledge systems contribute to cultural identity, community well-being, and sustainability. Inspired by the Food and Wine Tourism Plan 2022-27 in Catalonia, topics will deepen further to include the preservation of intangible cultural heritage, the integration of food in European cultural programmes, the links between nutrition, education, and public health, and the importance of protecting biodiversity and traditional seeds.
Speakers from international organizations, cultural networks, NGOs, and research institutions will share forward-thinking strategies and policy recommendations that affirm food as a powerful cultural and educational tool. By bringing together voices from different regions and sectors across the globe, the session will offer a comprehensive and interdisciplinary view of how food policies can evolve to support cultural diversity, social cohesion, and long-term resilience.
12.30h – 12.40h
WRAP UP: FOOD IS CULTURE’S FRONTLINE
RESUM: EL MENJAR ÉS LA PRIMERA LÍNIA DE LA CULTURA
12.40h – 14.30h Lunch Break | Pausa per dinar
14.30h-15.50h
WORLD CAFÉ | CAFÈ DEL MÓN
16 round tables strategising how to elevate gastronomy within international cultural policy frameworks, with a view to influencing the global MONDIACULT agenda. Each table has a provocateur, a host and a rapporteur.
Table 1 – Feeding Our Imagination: Gastronomy in the Creative Economy (English)
Taula 1 – Alimentant la nostra imaginació: la gastronomia en l’economia creativa (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: In 2050, chefs, artists, and storytellers collaborate seamlessly, and gastronomy is recognized globally as a cultural artform, embedded in school curricula and cultural policies.
Dystopia: By 2050, culinary creativity has been homogenized by algorithm-driven menus and synthetic flavors, and food is no longer a space for imagination or expression.
Table 2 – Tasting Diversity and celebrating biodiversity in our food (English)
Taula 2 – Tastant la diversitat i celebrant la biodiversitat en el nostre menjar (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: In 2050, pollinators thrive thanks to biodiversity-friendly agriculture, and every meal celebrates this living biodiversity, with indigenous ingredients, diverse crops, and revived recipes.
Dystopia: Pollinators have vanished, and agriculture is dominated by global monocultures. 80% of people eat only five crops, and culinary diversity survives only in museums and digital archives, while ecosystems collapse.
Table 3 – Feeding Curiosity: Creative Tourism Strategies Rooted in Gastronomy (English)
Taula 3 – Alimentant la curiositat: estratègies de turisme creatiu arrelades en la gastronomia (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: Gastronomic tourism in 2050 is slow, immersive, and community-led, connecting visitors with local stories, producers, and landscapes.
Dystopia: Tourists consume “local experiences” via virtual headsets, never leaving global food courts designed to simulate culture.
Table 4 – Nurturing Creativity and Innovation in the Food Sector (English)
Taula 4 – Fomentant la creativitat i la innovació en el sector alimentari (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: Food labs across regions experiment with sustainable ingredients, cultural fusion, and low-waste design, making innovation accessible to all.
Dystopia: A handful of tech companies patent all food innovation, stifling creativity and marginalizing traditional knowledge.
Table 5 – Heritage in the Soil: Safeguarding Traditional Crops for Regional Identity and Well-being (English)
Taula 5 – El patrimoni a la terra: salvaguardar els cultius tradicionals per a la identitat regional i el benestar (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: Heirloom seeds are protected and thriving in diverse climates, forming the backbone of regional economies and diets.
Dystopia: Climate change and corporate patents have wiped out traditional crops; communities are disconnected from their agricultural heritage.
Table 6 – Edible Destinations: Strengthening Regions Through Gastronomy and the Arts (English)
Taula 6 – Destinacions comestibles: enfortir les regions a través de la gastronomia i les arts (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: In 2050, regions are celebrated for their edible cultures, where gastronomy and the arts form the soul of regenerative rural development.
Dystopia: Gastronomic identity is reduced to branding exercises for mass tourism, with little benefit to local artists or farmers.
Table 7 – Savouring Food Culture and Tourism Innovation in the Creative Economy (English)
Taula 7 – Gaudir de la cultura alimentària i la innovació turística en l’economia creativa (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: Food culture tourism is co-designed with local communities, promoting deep connections and creative exchanges across borders.
Dystopia: Culinary tourism is dictated by influencers and AI trends, leaving local traditions exploited and misrepresented.
Table 8 – Consumption Consciousness: Cultural Awareness Shaping Responsible Consumption (English)
Taula 8 – Consciència del consum: la consciència cultural que modela un consum responsible (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: Citizens make mindful food choices guided by cultural respect, planetary boundaries, and social equity.
Dystopia: Hyper-consumerism persists, masked by greenwashing campaigns and cultural erasure in global food supply chains.
Table 9 – Feeding Curiosity: Creative Strategies to Raise Local Food Awareness (English)
Taula 9 – Alimentar la curiositat: estratègies creatives per augmentar la consciència sobre l’alimentació local (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: In 2050, communities proudly engage in food storytelling, public markets are hubs of education, and children grow up knowing where their food comes from.
Dystopia: Food knowledge is outsourced to apps, and fewer people than ever can identify, grow, or cook local produce.
Table 10 – Educating for a More Environmentally-Friendly Food Future (English)
Taula 10 – Educar per a un futur alimentari més respectuós amb el medi ambient (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: Education inspires sustainable food choices, leading to clean, circular, and waste-free food systems.
Dystopia: Lack of awareness fuels destructive food systems, where clean, healthy food becomes a luxury.
Table 11 – Food as a Catalyst for Solidarity: Building Inclusive and Equitable Food Systems (English)
Taula 11 – L’alimentació com a catalitzador de solidaritat: construir sistemes alimentaris inclusius i equitatius (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: Food systems in 2050 are guided by justice, where all communities have agency, access, and dignity in their food choices.
Dystopia: Hunger persists amid abundance, and food aid is used as a tool for political control rather than empowerment.
Table 12 – Ciudadanía empoderada – Sistemas alimentarios en nuestras manos (Español)
Taula 12 – Table 12: Empowering citizens – Food Systems in Our Hands (Spanish)
Utopía: En 2050, la ciudadanía decida sobre sus sistemas alimentarios, con huertos, mercados y cooperativas que garantizan alimentos sanos y sostenibles.
Distopía: La población se alimenta con comida barata, envasada y producida en masa, cargada de químicos; las personas son consumidoras pasivas sin opciones reales.
Table 13 – The Power of the Plate: Storytelling and New Narratives (English)
Taula 13 – El poder del plat: narrativa i nous relats (idioma principal: anglès)
Utopia: Every food package in 2050 tells a story of place, memory, and culture—shared and celebrated in schools, media, and markets.
Dystopia: The power of storytelling is lost; food is anonymized, stripped of meaning, and reduced to nutrient labels.
Taula 14 – Del bosc I els camps fruiters al plat: protegir la biodiversitat i els hàbitats naturals (Català)
Table 14 – From Forest and orchards to Plate: Protecting Biodiversity and Natural Habitats (Principal language: Catalan)
Utopia: Els boscos catalans són gestionats de forma sostenible i nodreixen les taules locals amb ingredients únics i saludables.
Dystopia: Els hàbitats naturals han desaparegut sota l’especulació urbana i la desconnexió entre societat i territory.
Taula 15 – Reivindicant el gust: com els consumidors poden revifar les tradicions gastronòmiques (Català)
Table 15 – Reclaiming Taste: How Consumers Can Revive Gastronomic Traditions (Principal language: Catalan)
Utopia: El paladar del consumidor s’ha convertit en una força per protegir tradicions, sabors i productes autòctons.
Dystopia: Els gustos han estat uniformitzats per la indústria global, i les tradicions gastronòmiques són només folklore escenificat.
Taula 16 – Gastronomía sense productors? (Català)
Table 16 – Gastronomy Without Producers? (Principal language: Catalan)
Utopia: El 2050, els petits productors són els guardians del territori i protagonistes de l’oferta gastronòmica.
Dystopia: La cuina regional sobreviu com a espectacle sense ànima, mentre els productors han desaparegut per manca de sup
15.50h – 16.30h Health Break | Pausa
16.30h-17.20h
REPORT BACK SESSION
SESSIÓ DE RETORN D’INFORMES
17.20h-17.35h
TASTE GRAND TOUR OF CATALONIA
TASTA EL GRAN TOUR DE CATALUNYA
17.35h
ENSURING A WORLD LEGACY
GARANTINT UN LLEGAT MUNDIAL
17.45h – 17.55h
WORLD GASTRONOMY SUMMIT CONCLUSIONS AND DECLARATION:
A GLOBAL CALL TO RECOGNISE FOOD AS CULTURE
CONCLUSIONS I DECLARACIÓ DE LA CIMERA MUNDIAL DE GASTRONOMIA:
UNA CRIDA GLOBAL PER RECONÈIXER L’ALIMENTACIÓ COM A CULTURA
17.55h – 18.00h
CLOSING REMARKS
CLOENDA
18.00h
OFFICIAL WORLD GASTRONOMY SUMMIT PHOTO
FOTO OFICIAL DE LA CIMERA MUNDIAL DE GASTRONOMIA
18.15h
MUSICAL INTERLUDE WITH CAVA & CATALAN COCA
INTERLUDI MUSICAL AMB CAVA & COCA CATALANA
18.45h
IGCAT AMBASSADOR AWARDS AND PHOTO
PREMIS AMBAIXADORS IGCAT I FOTOGRAFIA
19.15h
FOOD FILM MENU 2025 CATEGORY AWARDS GALA
GALA DE PREMIS PER CATEGORIA DE LA FOOD FILM MENU 2025
20:30h
GALA DINNER
SOPAR DE GALA
