On 31 August to 4 September 2015, the “First ECO – Silk Road Food Festival” took place in the Silk Road city of Zanjan, located in north-western Iran.

Hosted by the Zanjan Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), visitors and official country delegations were able to enjoy gastronomic delicacies from the Silk Road region, including traditional dishes from Azerbaijan, China, Iran, Tajikistan and Turkey.

As part of the event programme, an exhibition on Iranian handicrafts and traditional music performances were also organized.

While attending the event, Mr. Maraslioglu, Deputy Secretary General of the ECO Secretariat, stressed the overall importance of food tourism within the region, while the local authorities from Zanjan expressed their readiness to host this very well attended festival on an annual basis.

Additional information:

• ECO Website press release - Silk Road Food Festival 
• Press release:  "Eco-Silk Road Food Festival revives region's culture
• About the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)

Gastronomy and the UNWTO Silk Road Programme

• "Flavours of the Silk Road": International Conference on Food, Culture and Tourism (Baku, Azerbaijan, 2012)
• UNWTO Global Report on Food Tourism