Representatives of the Slow Food Association, who came to the city as part of the 91st İzmir International Fair and Terra Madre Anadolu, visited Yeşilova Mound, which was the settlement of İzmir 8 years ago. 500 Slow Food Union leaders drew attention to the importance of good, clean and fair food at the events they attended as part of the Terra Madre fair, where small producers had the opportunity to promote their products to the world market. The “Kitchen Show” stage set up in Kültürpark also hosted Michelin-starred Italian chef Cristina Bowerman, as well as Okan Bayülgen, famous food chef and presenter Danilo Zanna, and Turkish food expert and writer Sahrap Soysal.
Terra Madre Anadolu, one of the world's most important gastronomy fairs, opened simultaneously with the 91st Izmir International Fair, hosted 22 Slow Food Union leaders. The delegation, which also included Slow Food International Secretary General Paolo Di Croce and Andrea Amato, visited Yeşilova Mound. Head of Excavation Assoc. Dr. Zafer Derin said that he found tools used in fishing, grape seeds estimated to be 8 thousand years old, and kitchen utensils dating back 500 thousand years in Yeşilova Mound, which stretches the history of İzmir back 5 years. Slow Food Union representatives also visited Köstem Olive Oil Museum in Urla. Levent Köstem informed the delegation about the museum.
The importance of slow food was explained in the panel
Slow Food Movement Panel was also held in İzmir as part of the 91st İzmir International Fair and Terra Madre Anadolu. Slow Food International Secretary General Paolo Di Croce was the moderator of the panel held in İzmir Sanat. At the fair, where small producers had the opportunity to introduce their products to the world market, attention was drawn to the importance of good, clean and fair food.
“We pursue good, clean and fair food”
Speaking at the panel, İzmir Village-Koop Union President Neptün Soyer said that rural areas have a serious population and this is important in terms of production. Neptün Soyer said, “The population rate in rural areas of İzmir is almost 35 percent. This population is very valuable. Because the population in the countryside means the peasant who owns the land and the farmer who produces. We have been organizing since 1971 and we have been chasing good, clean and fair food in the rural areas of İzmir.”
“Slow Food should change this system”
The moderator of the panel, Slow Food International Secretary General Paolo Di Croce, also stated that healthy food is very important to raise awareness. Paolo Di Croce said, “We pay ten times more money to buy unreal salads. Because we don't want to wash the salads at home. Slow Food should change this system,” he said. Paolo Di Croce also made a call at the panel and said: “Let's work together and reach more people. Let's start washing the salad. Let's understand the difference between real food and industrial food. The day we will be fully successful will be the day when every person in this world can eat clean and healthy food. Even when not a single person in the world has this right, Slow Food has not been successful.”
“There are 79 local products”
Slow Food Bardacık Leader Nedim Atilla referred to the Noah's Warehouse project, which is part of the Slow Food philosophy, and said, “This project is funded by the EU in order to protect the biodiversity and unique flavors in our country. Thanks to this project, if we save a single species, even a single flavor, that is being lost, it will be a profit. There are 79 products from Turkey in Noah's Warehouse.
“Committed to protecting hidden gems”
Slow Food Tarsus SözcüStating that Slow Food will contribute to Turkey's gastronomic heritage, Yasmina Lokmanoğlu said, "Slow Food is dedicated to promoting and protecting the hidden gems of Anatolian and Thracian cuisine." Slow Food Bodrum Leader Deniz Kurtsan, in her speech titled “Slow Cheese in Turkey”, said that “Cheese artisans trying to survive in the conditions of industrial competition aim to bring the natural cheese they produce directly to the consumer and to strengthen the place of natural cheeses in the market”.
Slow Fish Mersin sözcüSü Ezgi Biçer said, “Let's not forget, the food chain of the fish that comes to our tables depends on how much terrestrial waste we condemn our seas to. Therefore, if we can't find what we hope for together, let's collect what we find and let's be hope for the ecosystem.” Slow Food Sözcüsü Raziye İçtepe said, “The criteria for slow olive oil that protects nature and human health at the same time are gathered under five headings. These cover, in turn, the characteristics of the trees, the maintenance of the olive grove, the biodiversity, and ultimately the way the olives are harvested and squeezed. In this way, not only the health and taste of the consumer, but also the olive trees and ecosystem are protected.”
Slow Food wind at IEF
Famous Italian chef Claudio Chinali, who has been living in Turkey for many years, and Osman Serdaroğlu, who completed his chef training in Italy, came together at the "Traditional Turkish Food - Similarities and Differences in Mediterranean Foods" session on the Kitchen Show Stage. Chefs who draw attention to the similarities between Turkish and Italian dishes; He said that the basis of good and delicious food is the regional cuisine and seasonal lean products.
Protecting agricultural lands is vital for the future
The "İzmir Art Garden" conversations organized within the scope of Terra Madre Anadolu also attract attention. Moderated by Slow Food Bardacık Co-Chair Yeşim Yassıoğlu, the talk titled “Protection of Agricultural Lands” focused on many vital issues such as nature, agriculture, biodiversity, climate change, food and water security.
İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Deputy Secretary General, Suphi Şahin, emphasized that agricultural lands can be protected with the right planning, and stated that this could not be achieved due to many reasons such as laws, confusion of authority, urbanization, and lack of adequate supervision. Dicle Tuba Kılıç, Chairman of the Board of Nature Association, said, “45 percent of the areas where birds, endemic plants, inland water fish and large wild mammals live are agricultural areas. We should also care about these areas, which we care about for ourselves, for the animals that set up their homes there, are fed, and come with migration.”
Şevket Meriç, Head of İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Agricultural Services Department, and İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç SoyerDrawing attention to the 'Another Agriculture is Possible' approach, he said, “When we look at it, it is a policy aimed at protecting nature. The works we do are not only works that increase the income of small producers and cooperatives. While making production, we do this by considering the existence of all living things in nature in equal measure," he said. Tevfik Türk, Senior Agricultural Engineer from EGECEP, drew attention to the rate of agricultural land lost in 17 years and said, “We have come from 351 thousand hectares to 321 thousand hectares in Izmir as well. 30 thousand hectares are lost,” he said.
The events in Kültürpark were followed with interest by Valerio Giorgio, the Consul of Italy in Izmir, as well as many visitors.
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