The 7-article final declaration of the Bulgur Festival hosted by Gaziantep has been announced.
The final declaration of the Bulgur Festival was announced at a meeting attended by Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Ahmet Tiryakioğlu, Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce Assembly Chairman Selami Memiş, Gaziantep University Faculty of Engineering Dean Prof. Dr. Mustafa Bayram, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General Fikret Tural and local and foreign journalists.
The declaration announced at the Seminar Tent in the festival area was read by Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Ahmet Tiryakioğlu.
Tiryakioğlu said, ‘‘Gaziantep realized one of the most comprehensive and original events held in our country with this event. The festival organized by Gaziantep Commodity Exchange, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and Pasta Bulgur Pulses and Vegetable Oils Promotion Group (MBTG) was based on the idea that it is a festival carried out in the Creative Cities Network, which removes the boundaries in the kitchen while preserving the richest traditional culinary culture. The event, which was also supported by Gaziantep University, Gaziantep Chamber of Industry, Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, Bulgur Industrialists Association and all institutions and organizations in the city, was attended by many local, national and international chefs, gourmets and journalists. The festival was followed with great interest by local and foreign media. It is still being held. Gaziantep cuisine expresses the traditional culture created by the people living on the fertile lands of Anatolia for about 10 thousand years with their natural environment, historical texture, culture and artistic assets. The country cuisines defined by UNESCO as immovable cultural assets are known and respected in the world. This geography also provides recognition and economic resources. While we meet at common points with world cultures on the one hand, we introduce our cuisine by trying to preserve our differences on the other. The Bulgur Festival, which started with lighting the fire of the cauldron containing all the secrets of bulgur, included topics such as the history of bulgur, its place in nutrition, and cooking techniques, while cooking competitions were held. The festival included panels, seminars, cultural events, concerts, folk dances and various activities for children with the participation of many experts in the field. The Bulgur Festival, which was enlivened with the participation of many gastronomy writers, opinion leaders, members of the press, famous artists, chefs and sector representatives from the national and international arena, mediated the transfer of bulgur from the local to the universal.
IT WILL PROVIDE STRATEGIC CONTRIBUTION
"The Bulgur Festival will provide strategic contributions to the tourism and social economic prosperity of Gaziantep and every Anatolian city that has a signature on bulgur, and therefore our country," said Tiryakioğlu, adding, "We aim to hold the festival in other cities in the coming years and abroad in later stages. The Bulgur Festival event's local, national and international participants, local, national and international gastronomy authorities, local, national and international culinary writers and press members, local, national and international professional chefs and culinary associations, nutritionists and local cuisine representatives, academics and culinary schools, local and national instructors, in the light of the ideas that emerged at the Bulgur Festival event, it is envisaged to work within the framework of the following items.
7-ITEM CONCLUDING DECLARATION
1. Taking steps towards the development and improvement of gastronomy and tourism.
2. Rediscovering the secret flavors of the world's oldest wheat, known but more importantly unknown in these lands.
3. Learning and teaching many unknown topics about bulgur such as bulgur variety, cooking techniques and health benefits.
4. Introducing this product, which has remained in our lands, to foreign cultures in our country and abroad, and turning it into a brand in the world market.
5. Making people feel how flavors and cuisines interact with each other and why they have a common feeling with the participation of international chefs.
6. Bringing together guests from home and abroad at a common point of pleasure, hosting the opening of flavors in the homeland of bulgur.
7. Contributing to the transportation of culinary products produced with traditional methods to national and international markets.
To bring bulgur to international food literature with a sustainable project, to become the meeting point of the culinary culture accumulated over thousands of years by different peoples living in Anatolia, Mesopotamia, the Middle East and even the Balkans. To make us feel how flavors and cuisines affect each other and why they have a common feeling. To bring together our guests from home and abroad. To provide a strategic contribution to projects and collaboration possibilities where the region and therefore other cities in Anatolia can be pioneers in such organizations in the future. To affect the international dimension by multiplying the recognition of Gaziantep several times.
