Listing of Turkish city on UNESCO gastronomy list hailed in Istanbul

The listing of a southeastern Turkish city on the Creative Cities Network of the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO) in gastronomy has been hailed at an event in Istanbul.

"The cousin of Gaziantep is an important element of our country," state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an as saying as he spoke at an event titled "UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy: Gaziantep" that was held in Istanbul's Ç?ra?an Palace on Feb. 20 to celebrate the listing of the southeastern city of Gaziantep on the UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy list in late 2015.

Gaziantep Mayor Fatma ?ahin said adding Gaziantep to the "World Creative Cities Network" in gastronomy area meant awarding the southeastern city for the wealth it had created over the years.

"We tried hard to be added to this network, but we know that we're still at the start of the path and that we will work hard to be the world capital of cuisine ... Of course, this is not an award received in blink-of-an-eye efforts. We have a past as old as human history, and we have a great cultural heritage," ?ahin said at the event, underscoring that Gaziantep had stood out from among 18 countries UNESCO nominated as creative cities of gastronomy.

?ahin said the move had dealt the city administration new responsibilities, listing what Gaziantep Municipality planned for the near future in terms of promoting the cultural aspects of the southeastern city.

"We will increase the employment of women ... We'll do more innovation, research and development as well as contests, workshops and festivals," ?ahin said, adding that Gaziantep, which was home to the ancient city of Zeugma, would be a bridge from Anatolia to the rest of the world....