Global Leaders of the Slow Food Movement Meet in Cappadocia

The Kapadokya-Uçhisar Earth Market

The delegation is also attending the inauguration of the Slow Food Kapadokya-Uçhisar Earth Market.

From this date onward, the market will be held biweekly every other Saturday connecting small-scale producers committed to sustainable production directly with consumers. This initiative aims to support small-scale farmers, promote biodiversity and build awareness around the principles of the Slow Food movement. It will also enhance the visitor experience in Cappadocia, offering a vibrant example of sustainable and responsible gastronomy tourism. It is promoted with the support of Cappadocia University, which identified this initiative as a strategic driver for sustainable local development, and operates in collaboration with local authorities, producer cooperatives, chambers of commerce and professional associations.

Management will be entrusted to a dedicated committee and guided by participatory guaranteed systems and regular auditing to ensure transparency and shared accountability. The market distinguishes itself from existing local sales channels through its direct producer-consumer relationship, the variety of seasonal and organic products, and its value as a cultural and social hub. Local products such as Emir and Dimrit grapes, Ayhan eggplant, Nevşehir bagel, Kuru Kaymak and Topaç garlic — many of which are listed in the Slow Food Ark of Taste — will be available directly from 15 to 25 producers.

Partnerships, Educational and Cultural Events

The Slow Food Kapadokya-Uçhisar Earth Market will also host a rich program of educational and cultural events: from workshops on handicrafts, music and storytelling, to food and sustainability seminars, local walks and children’s games. Partnerships with the Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance, Slow Food Cappadocia, the Slow Food Tarsus Earth Market and the Turkey Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance will help amplify its impact. Environmental and social sustainability will be ensured through local sourcing, proper waste management, sustainable packaging, and regular awareness-raising activities.

Slow Food Earth Markets is an international network of markets that operate according to Slow Food principles: The protagonists are small-scale producers, farmers and food artisans. They sell only what they produce and can personally guarantee the quality of their products, which are local, fresh and seasonal. With today’s opening, the total number of Earth Markets in the world rises to 108 in 23 countries, including 7 in Turkey.

The University of Cappadocia, a Partner and Host of the Council

During their visit, Council members are engaging in events with university students, academics, producers, local communities, and members of Slow Food communities from across Turkey: Slow Food President Edward Mukiibi and Richard McCarthy, member of the Board of Directors from the USA are speaking at the public seminar organized by the Cappadocia University and moderated by Dr. Sinan Akıllı respectively on the topics “Farmer’s Markets and Rural Development” and “Farmer’s Market Coalition Experience”.

Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Cappadocia University, Funda Aktan, shared her remarks regarding the collaboration: “As Cappadocia University, we act with the awareness of our responsibility not only as an educational institution, but also as an active protector of the natural, cultural, and gastronomic values of the geography we inhabit, ensuring their transmission to future generations. This approach, which forms an essential part of our founding philosophy, aligns perfectly with the principles of the Slow Food movement. We will continue to contribute institutionally to transform Slow Food’s long-standing experiences into collaborative projects that will benefit our region and our country. In this context, by hosting the Slow Food International Council meeting in Cappadocia, we aim to further strengthen our partnership.”

The Council Wants to Give Recognition for the Achievements of the Turkish Activists

By holding its annual meeting in the heart of Turkey, the Slow Food International Council wants to give recognition for the achievements of the Turkish activist network in the last years and highlights the importance it places on the further expansion of the Slow Food movement in the country. Testimony to these significant achievements is the implementation of Slow Food’s major international programs in defense of agrifood biodiversity, which is expressed within Turkish borders in the following numbers:  138 Ark of Taste products listed in the global catalogue of endangered traditional foods, 4 Presidia projects in support of small scale producers, 39 chefs involved in the Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance who daily enhance the local gastronomic heritage in their menus by working closely with producers.

Finally, it is worth noting the first Slow Food Farm named as part of the global project recently launched by the movement, set to become the largest global network of farms dedicated to producing good, clean and fair food in a way that’s rooted in agroecological principles: Sevilma Olive Farm (Orhanli Kocaköy -Seferihisar).