Bacolod City – The city is set to host the first-ever Terra Madre Asia and Pacific (TMAP) 2025, a five-day event dedicated to sustainable gastronomy expected to draw approximately 2,000 delegates from 24 countries.
The visitors come from nations including Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Palau, Samoa, South Korea, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor Leste, USA, Vanuatu, and Vietnam.
Terra Madre is a global gathering of good, clean, and fair food for all advocates, organized by the Slow Food movement, aimed at promoting sustainable and traditional food production.
The TMAP 2025 is scheduled to take place from November 19 to 23 at the Provincial Capitol Lagoon that will gather farmers, chefs, academics, and consumers.
“In 2022, the Philippines presented a booth in Terra Madre Italy managed by Slow Food Negros. With the long line of Filipino roots in Italy, the world’s enthusiasm for Filipino foods inspired us to imagine hosting something similar in Bacolod,” Slow Food Councilor for Southeast Asia Ramon Uy Jr. said.
He added that this is the first regional edition of the global gathering outside of Turin, Italy, solidifying Bacolod’s standing as the recognized Slow Food Hub in the Philippines and the newly designated Slow Food International Hub for Asia-Pacific.
The Terra Madre will feature 200 exhibitors and 150 events such as the foodways-education, public talks and conferences, bar takeovers, and more.
There will also be a community cook-off to 61 barangays of Bacolod City that will showcase local ingredients.
“We have decided that the main attraction of Bacolod will be the food tourism and the Terra Madre is an international event,” Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said.
Benitez added that the attendees can also look forward to dishes from the 18 regions of the Philippines.
The global gathering originated and is traditionally held annually in Turin, Italy. (Theresa Mae Dulman via tvds)