Two Turkish cities aim for UNESCO spotlight with gastronomy, literature
ADANA
The Turkish National Commission for UNESCO has nominated the southern cities of Adana and Kahramanmaraş to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network this year.
Adana is vying for recognition in the gastronomy category, while Kahramanmaraş seeks a place among the Cities of Literature.
To date, eight Turkish cities have been accepted into the network. The southern provinces of Gaziantep and Hatay and the western province of Afyonkarahisar are listed for gastronomy; Istanbul for design; the western cities of Kütahya and Bursa for crafts and folk arts; and the south city of Şanlıurfa and the Central Anatolian city of Kırşehir for music.
Adana’s application highlights its rich culinary heritage, from its iconic kebab to local recipes and geographically marked products.
Kahramanmaraş, on the other hand, draws on its literary legacy of renowned poets including Nuri Pakdil and Cahit Zarifoğlu.
Selim Terzi, a board member of the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO, noted that both files were submitted in March. The final decision will be made in Samarkand this October or November — marking a rare session held outside Paris.
