As part of the wider Art of Food event, international IGCAT experts presented their research and work in the field of gastrodiplomacy and to discuss various issues around the topic on Thursday 2 July at the National History Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona. The session was chaired by Clara Melluish, who gave a short introduction to the wider concepts around gastrodiplomacy, questioning whether it was a case of one-way promotion or a two-way exchange. The three other speakers offered practical examples to the academic theories – Caroline Cavalcanti de Melo from the University of Lisbon described the recent ‘Gout de France/Good France’ initiative from the French Foreign Affairs Ministry; Tanja Strugar from the League of Experts in Belgrade detailed the various Asian origins of gastrodiplomacy and Pelle Øby Andersen, Director of the Food Organisation of Denmark explained his work in partnering private and public organisations to promote Danish gastronomy and agriculture.
The speakers then joined the audience for a wider seminar discussion, questioning whether gastrodiplomacy was always a case of nation branding or if cultural exchanges could be at play, and whether concerns with the protection of local food diversity was compatible with gastrodiplomacy initiatives.
3 July 2015
