Sheki Hosts Terra Madre Gastronomy Festival

Sheki Hosts Terra Madre Gastronomy Festival - PHOTOS

10:24 13 October 2025 Read: 600

On 11 October, the city of Sheki came alive with the Terra Madre Shaki gastronomy festival, held in the scenic “Yukhari Bash” State Historical and Architectural Reserve, organized by the State Tourism Agency in partnership with the Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau under the Agency, the National Culinary Centre and the Slow Food International movement, AzVision.az reports.

Fuad Naghiyev, Chairman of the State Tourism Agency, Elkhan Usubov, Head of the Sheki City Executive Authority and Edward Mukiibi, President of Slow Food International, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony of the festival, where they highlighted the significance of hosting the Terra Madre gastronomy festival in Sheki, a historic Silk Road city listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The speakers noted that the festival, held in Azerbaijan for the first time and introducing the Slow Food philosophy to the country, aims to support the balanced development of rural communities and to promote a sustainable food system, local culinary traditions, and cultural heritage, while seeking to contribute to the efficient production and consumption of agrobiodiversity resources.

Slow Food is an approach built upon the principles of good, clean and socially fair food, promoting healthier eating while preserving the traditions of national and regional cuisines. The Terra Madre Shaki festival represents a new stage in the Slow Food project implemented across the Sheki-Zagatala and Mountainous Shirvan economic regions.

The festival, held in the historical centre of Sheki, brought together experts in agriculture policy and gastronomy for a forum, while government representatives and industry professionals joined round tables to discuss biodiversity and winemaking. The festival visitors had the chance to enjoy a local produce fair featuring goods from nearly 30 farmers, wine tasting sessions and masterclasses.

The visitors were treated to a variety of regional specialties presented across 13 stands in 26 categories at the fair. These included heirloom hazelnuts of Qabala and Ismayilli, the black halva and jams from the mountainous villages of Demirchi, Basgal and Lahij, the ‘zenjirferej’ sweets of Absheron, the ‘makhara’, a sun-shaped crepe typical of Qakh-Zagatala region, a variety of teas from Lankaran, organically grown fruits, vegetables, and berries from Sheki’s Bio Garden farm to name a few. The visitors could also sample Sheki baklava and wines, the Madrasa grapes of Shamakhi, artisanal cheeses from the Caucasus highlands, dairy products from Galaderesi village, sunflower oil from Ivanovka, the Nakhchivan-style ‘qovurma’ fry and many other local delicacies.

The festival visitors especially enjoyed performances by musicians, folk groups and artisans.