Edirne hosts living heritage and gastronomy festivals
The city of Edirne hosted two major cultural events at Söğütlük Nation’s Garden: the first-ever Living Heritage Festival and the second “From Soil to Table” Edirne Gastronomy Festival. The festivals were held with the participation of representatives from the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace.
The opening ceremony was attended by invitees of Edirne Governor Yunus Sezer, including:
Mustafa Trampa, Chairman of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority Advisory Board and Mufti of İskeçe,
İbrahim Şerif, Mufti of Gümülcine,
Aydın Ahmet, President of the Western Thrace Turkish Teachers’ Union,
Sedat Hasan, President of the Gümülcine Turkish Youth Union,
Ozan Ahmetoğlu, Chairman of the School Committee of İskeçe Minority Secondary and High School.
Supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the festivals also drew the participation of parliament members, municipal leaders, institutional representatives, and many local citizens. Governor Sezer emphasized that both events play a key role in reviving nearly forgotten cultural values while also preserving and promoting Edirne’s culinary traditions for future generations.
Officials from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism highlighted that Türkiye ranks second worldwide in the number of intangible cultural heritage elements inscribed by UNESCO, stressing the importance of such festivals in raising awareness.
As part of the events, 30 master artisans showcased traditional crafts, while the gastronomy festival focused on this year’s theme ingredient: İpsala rice, presented in a variety of dishes.
The festivals concluded on Saturday, 27 September.
