Heraklion is now a UNESCO World City of Gastronomy!

In the World Network of "Creative Cities" of UNESCO, Heraklion joined the best of the best in Gastronomy, according to an official announcement.

This is a critical success, according to the municipal Authority, and at the same time, a justification of the planning implemented by the Municipality of Heraklion, in cooperation with all relevant bodies, to establish itself as a sustainable gastronomic destination.

For 2023, Heraklion is one of the seven cities from around the world recognised as Creative Cities of Gastronomy by UNESCO. This distinction was the result of the cooperation of the executives of the Greek National Committee for UNESCO, the Municipality of Heraklion and the Development Organization "Heraklion MAE".

As the mayor of Heraklion, Vassilis Lambrinos, emphasised: "The recognition of Heraklion as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy comes as a reward for our choice to place the gastronomy and agro-food of our country at the centre of our tourism policy and confirms the prominence of Cretan cuisine and local products and producers can and should be a key axis in the strategy for strengthening the tourist brand of Heraklion."

According to the deputy mayor of Development Planning - Digital Transformation - Integrated Rural Development and Tourism, Giorgos Sisamakis: "Heraklion is a multidimensional place with a history and continuous cultural presence of 5,000 years that plans and implements urban development actions in terms of sustainability and resilience.

"Our declaration by UNESCO as a city of gastronomy and our participation in the 'Creative Cities' network is a special honour for us. We are committed to consistently continuing the effort to introduce the uniqueness of Cretan cuisine and the Cretan way of life to the whole world, strengthening the touristic identity of Heraklion and our intangible cultural heritage.

"I would like to warmly thank the president of the Greek National Committee for UNESCO, Mrs. Aikaterini Tzitzikosta, and the staff of the Committee, who, from the beginning of the drafting of the file, stood by us with key suggestions and advice so that a competitive nomination could be submitted, but also the Municipality of Thessaloniki, the first city to participate in the network, for its support."

Regarding the inclusion of Heraklion, the president of the Greek National Committee, Ekaterini Tzitzikosta, said: "The candidacy of Heraklion stood out as it was a multifaceted proposal, with a national and international dimension, but also with a modern sustainable view of gastronomy which is a priority of UNESCO".

In December, an event will be held in Heraklion to present the city's inclusion in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

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