 | | | IGCAT Newsletter First Quarter 2024 |
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| Saimaa, our wonderful and unique lake district has the pleasure to host the European Region of Gastronomy title this year. Preparing for the title year has brought us together in a whole new way. We have succeeded in breaking down provincial and sectoral boundaries. Over 170 actors have joined our wide network of cooperation: companies, associations, educational institutions, and development projects in our region. Three provinces and nine cities are also involved as enablers. We want to keep the threshold for participation as low as possible. Everyone is welcome to build our common future and a more attractive and experiential Saimaa region. |
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Our festive year of food and cultural tourism is off to an active start. More than 100 events have already been added to our event calendar. In the beginning of the year the events ranged from winter fishing to traditional pie-baking workshops. As summer approaches, the whole region will be filled with a fantastic range of events combining food and culture. We welcome the summer by challenging the whole region to open their saunas to our visitors. There is certainly no town or village during the summer that is not full of events. From opera festivals to food markets, the cities in our region offer high quality experiences. Nature will also be at its best, inviting everyone to come and experience the excellent campsites and collect nature's bounty on a plate. When autumn arrives, our nature is a treasure trove. It really is worth visiting Saimaa more than once to experience the diversity of our seasons.
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So, let me lead you for a moment to the bluest and greenest region in the happiest land of the world. Hear the captivating silence and ancient soundscape. Smell the fresh air. Touch the grounding soil and the cleansing waters. For us, gastronomy is an everyday luxury as our forests and lakes serve us the purest food in the world. People living in this area are known for their perseverance and hospitality. There is always room for guests at the table and food is a matter of honour for eastern Finnish hosts. The largest lake in Finland is loved by many, several million guests visit the Saimaa region annually. You are warmly welcome to experience Saimaa with all your senses, we are waiting.
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| Project Director - Saimaa, European Region of Gastronomy 2024 |
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| News from IGCAT & the World Regions of Gastronomy |
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| | 5 March 2024 - IGCAT has officially launched the most awaited call for submissions for the 6th International Food Film Menu. This annual competition aims to highlight sustainability themes related to food cultures across the globe, through top-notch short films and vi … Read more |
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| | 2 February 2024 - Hungry for an exceptionally tasty adventure across borders? IGCAT has just announced the Top 10 Websites for Foodie Travelers 2024 so that you can be tempted to embark on a unique journey and dis … Read more |
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| | 5 February 2024 – Foodies of the world sit up and take note: the Saimaa region in Finland will be 2024’s must-visit and must-taste! With a perfect take-off, Saimaa’s programme as European Region of Gastronomy 2024 awarded by IGCAT, officially spread its wings on 2-4 February wi … Read more |
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| | 15 February 2024 - An international jury comprising of four international experts, accompanied by IGCAT’s President, Diane Dodd PhD considered the application of Gozo region for the title European Region of Gastro … Read more |
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| | 22 March 2024 - Aimed at rewarding the most unique food and food-related craft gifts from the World and European Regions of Gastronomy, the 5th edition of IGCAT’s World Food Gift Challenge will take place in Aseer, World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2024, on 25 A … Read more |
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| | 25 March 2024 - Over 25 cooking demonstrations, talks and presentations about the local culinary and gastronomic landscape took place at the Catalonia, World Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025 main space, organised by Prodeca within Alimentaria fair in Barcelona, on 18- … Read more |
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| | 27 March 2024 - The prestigious Bocuse d’Or Europe 2024 was an opportunity for Trondheim-Trøndelag, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022 to steal the limelight … Read more |
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| | 8 March 2024 - IGCAT has officially announced the 8th edition of the European Young Chef Award that will be hosted in Sicily, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2025, on 27-3 … Read more |
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| | 27 March 2024 - A celebration of the culinary identity of Hauts-de-France, European Region of Gastronomy 2023, the 3rd edition of Sirha Omnivore fair took place in Le Touquet on 23-25 March 2024. An opportunity to gather high quality local products, producers and artisa … Read more |
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| | 26 February 2024 – In quest of the Menorcan Young Chef 2024 who will represent the island at IGCAT’s 8th European Young Chef Award, Menorca European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2022 celebrated nine travelling cooking shows across its eight municipalities … Read more |
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| | 28 March 2024 - Community empowerment, cultural preservation, and sustainable development were just some of the … Read more |
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| | 28 February 2024 - Guadeloupe, and its islands, was proposed by Hauts-de-France, European Region of Gastronomy 2023 as the best territory from the Caribbean to be a future World Region of Gastronomy. After a first contact wit … Read more |
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| Current news from around the globe | |
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| | 28 March 2024 - The result of a two-year collaborative process within the Erasmus+ co-funded project NEMOS – A new edu … Read more |
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| | 4 March 2024 - IGCAT Expert, Wendy Barrie vividly recalls her experience as a jury member of the European Young Chef Award 2023: "It was with great pleasure that I accepted an invitation to be on the Judging Panel for the I … Read more |
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| | 12 March 2024 - The potato, a crop of immense global significance, contributes to key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as zero hunger, sustainable agriculture, and econom … Read more |
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| | 11 March 2024 - The EU-FarmBook Project has launched an online platform to facilitate knowledge sharing among farmers, … Read more |
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| | 31 January 2024 - The UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer provides ongoing analysis of short-term tourism trends to inform global tourism stakeholders. Published quarterly, it assesses inbound and outbound tourism data … Read more |
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| | IGCAT carries out research, collects knowledge and develops projects to support creative solutions in regional and local development. This newsletter is just a small selection of news from the past three months. IGCAT compiles trends and facts from around the world.
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