The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and between cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The 180 cities (from 72 countries) that currently form this network work together towards a common goal: to place creativity and cultural industries at the center of their development plans at the local level and to actively cooperate internationally. In the region there are about 10 cities within this network.
Panama City is the first Central American city to be distinguished as a creative city for its gastronomy. How can gastronomy contribute to sustainable development? There is, in fact, World Sustainable Gastronomy Day, which was celebrated for the second time on June 18, 2018. The objective is to promote eating habits that respect the environment and local traditions. It also seeks a reasonable use of resources for food production, important especially for communities that work in agriculture, and for the conservation of biodiversity.
There are seven categories within which to stand out to be a creative city: literature, cinema, design, digital art, gastronomy, music and crafts. To achieve this, there must be a visible commitment to the chosen theme, always ensuring the sustainability of the project and inviting citizens to participate.
In the case of Panama City, as in other cities, gastronomic culture is part of the tourist attraction and allows us to get closer to the customs and characteristics of the environment. That is why it is important to link the day of sustainable gastronomy with sustainable tourism. Raising awareness about food waste is another objective to celebrate this day.
Adequate nutrition, food security and how to manage resources to end hunger is specifically one of the objectives of sustainable development, but it is also the basis for meeting other challenges. Promoting healthy eating habits, as well as good management of natural resources to produce food, is essential to respond to the challenge of feeding the inhabitants of the earth, and also the additional citizens that there will be.