Terra Madre around the world – Food is relationships

In the second half of 2025, the spirit of Terra Madre will travel to Belgium, the United States, Norway, and the Philippines.

16 Apr 2025

Throughout history, food has been more than sustenance—it connected people, fostered biodiversity, and strengthened cultures through shared knowledge and relationships. Today, however, food is treated as a commodity, driven by market logic that disregards ecosystems and those who sustain them. Trade now often promotes uniformity over diversity, benefiting a few while isolating others and depleting natural resources.

What’s next?

This year, Slow Food will dedicate four key events to reclaiming food’s original role: as a thread that reconnects local communities, honors cultural exchange, and restores meaning to how we grow, share, and eat.

Each of these gatherings will take place under the banner of Terra Madre, uniting the Slow Food network across continents.

The first global Terra Madre gathering was held in Turin, Italy, in 2004, bringing together more than 5,000 farmers, fishers, and producers from 130 countries. It fostered a strong sense of belonging within a global community committed to protecting food and biodiversity.

In the second half of 2025, the spirit of Terra Madre will travel to Belgium, the United States, Norway, and the Philippines. These events will serve as vital spaces for exchanging knowledge, experiences, and expertise on food, the environment, and social justice. They will also offer visitors a unique opportunity to connect directly with farmers, fishers, chefs, and young leaders—while exploring the diverse flavors and cultural richness of each continent.

The program of Terra Madre Europe 2025 will include the launch of Belgium’s first Earth Market, in Brussels

Terra Madre Europe – Belgium

June 22–24, 2025
Terra Madre Europe will bring fresh energy to Brussels, focusing on the role of food in fostering relationships among people. The program will include the launch of Belgium’s first Earth Market and a high-level conference on agroecology, highlighting European biodiversity and amplifying the voices of those who grow and produce our food. Food producers from across the EU will take center stage through workshops and tastings. Belgian and European chefs from the Cooks’ Alliance will also take part in collaborative “four-hands” dinners hosted in restaurants across the capital.

Educational exhibitions at the last edition of Terra Madre Americas in Sacramento, California

Terra Madre Americas – United States

September 26–28, 2025

Returning to Sacramento, Terra Madre Americas will focus on agroecology and community wisdom throughout the continent. Building on the momentum of previous gatherings, this edition will spotlight regional and global food systems, sustainable agriculture, and food justice movements. With a strong emphasis on collaboration, education, and food sovereignty, it will bring together farmers, chefs, activists, academics, and policymakers from North and South America.

Young Slow Food activists at Terra Madre Nordic

Terra Madre Nordic – Norway

October 10–12, 2025

The third edition of Terra Madre Nordic will take place in Vesterålen, Norway. The event will feature a vibrant market of Nordic artisanal food producers, along with workshops, masterclasses, seminars, and public discussions on sustainable consumption and resilient food systems. This year’s focus will be on Sámi food culture and traditions, spotlighting the unique challenges and opportunities in producing food both on land and in the surrounding seas.

Asian gastronomic richness displayed

Terra Madre Asia Pacific – Philippines

November 19–23, 2025
In partnership with Bacolod City, the Department of Tourism, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Province of Negros Occidental, Slow Food will host Terra Madre Asia Pacific. The event will celebrate the continent’s food biodiversity heritage and feature a rich program including the traditional Slow Food Market, the Slow Food Coffee Coalition space, Slow Drinks, Taste Workshops, and expert-led conferences. Specialists from across agriculture, food processing, and gastronomy will share their visions for a sustainable future in the Asia-Pacific region.

Through these gatherings, Terra Madre continues to strengthen connections among people, cultures, and food systems—igniting change and celebrating the diversity of food traditions across the world.

Alessia Pautasso