European Cooperation and Partnership Network ("ECOPNET"), along side with the other partners the EU-Turkey Friendship Group at the European Parliament, Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Directorate for EU Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, Permanent Representation of the Republic of Turkey to the EU, and the Yunus Emre Institute, will host the 2021 edition of Diplomacy On The Menu event tomorrow evening (28.09.2021).
The event will focus on the similarities of Mediterranean cuisines and underline the unifying aspect of food cultures around the region. For the event, ECOPNET has tried to gather diplomats, officials from European and international institutions, firms and stakeholders based in Brussels.
The event will present Mediterranean recipes from different regions from 8 stands to the guests, with the concept of sustainable food and environmentally friendly materials.
The event will also have a cook-it-own VIP workshop. Within the scope of the event, a group of VIP guests will finalize the half-prepared "Turkish Bulgur Risotto with Eggplant and Mozzarella" and "Tiramisu with Mascarpone with Turkish Coffee" recipes to underline the solidarity and similarities with the lead of high-level Chef Giovanni Terracciano.
The number of the guests are expected reach up to 200, including European high-level officials from the European Commission, European Parliament, various think thanks, organizations, trade chambers, universities and cultural Institutions.
The event will be organized with full compliance to data protection rules of the European Union and COVID19 rules of the Brussels-Capital Region.
Please do not forget to promote the event with the hashtag of #UnifiedByFood and #ECOPNET to underline the solidarity around the big European neighbourhood.
Culinary diplomacy, gastrodiplomacy or food diplomacy is a type of cultural diplomacy, which itself is a subset of public diplomacy. Its basic premise is that "the easiest way to win hearts and minds is through the stomach". Gastrodiplomacy builds on food as a common dimension of the lives and cultures of all people. It can be considered a “tender-minded” type of public diplomacy, in that it does not exert influence by advocating directly, but rather more obliquely by striking emotional connections. ECOPNET aims to focus more on the gastrodiplomacy matters in near future, as well as making the Diplomacy On The Menu event a regular tradition in the Brussels Region.