Slow Food in Saudi Arabia

Nurturing the Slow Food network in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia satisfies the need to preserve ancient practices, biodiversity and heritage while satisfying the thirst for innovation in food and agriculture.

With UN Habitat and FAO initiatives to rethink cities, food and forestry already well underway, now is the time to make an impact by implementing the food and agricultural strategies that define the Slow Food movement. As such, Slow Food will share its technical expertise with emerging leaders in the Kingdom.  

Over the years, Slow Food sets out the following objectives to support the strategy of the Culinary Arts Commission:

• Establish Slow Food communities as multi-stakeholder projects of farmers, consumers, and strategic civic and private-sector partners.
• Catalog biodiversity and cultural heritage via the Ark of Taste and Presidia.
• Develop regional culinary tours using the Slow Food Travel model.
• Establish regional processing pilot plants.
• Establish local farmers markets (Earth Markets).
• Establish local Cooks networks (Cooks Alliance); 
• Reintroduce Saudi food and culture to international audiences (via Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Italy, and other international events).
• Stage an annual meeting and exhibition of farmers (Terra Madre Saudi Arabia in collaboration with the Saudi Feast Food Festival).