Macao attends UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy Annual Conference in Malaysia
MACAU, August 7 - On behalf of Macao, Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) joined the UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy Annual Conference in Kuching, Malaysia from 4 – 6 August, joining other member cities of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of gastronomy around the world to lead a meaningful discussion and foster the sustainable development of gastronomic culture. The Office leveraged the platform to raise Macao’s international profile and impact.
Organized by Kuching, Malaysia, the UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy Annual Conference 2026 (the “Conference”) brought together over 400 local and international attendees comprising city representatives, policymakers, scholars, chefs and culinary practitioners from UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy worldwide. The three-day program featured keynote speech, panel discussion, work meetings and site inspections, among other highlights. Among which, delegates explored how carrying on culinary heritage can lead the cities towards a sustainable future at the panel discussion.
The opening ceremony was officiated by Premier of Sarawak of Malaysia, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg, who delivered a speech. Other guests who addressed the ceremony included Mayor of Kuching South Council of Malaysia, Datuk Sri Wee Hong Seng, Secretary of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), Denise Bax (delivering a speech by video), and Coordinator of the Cities of Gastronomy Subnetwork of UCCN and Focal Point of Bergamo (Italy) to UCCN, Claudio Cecchinelli.
Creative Cities of Gastronomy from worldwide gather for sustainable development
Deputy Director of MGTO and other Macao SAR (China) Focal Point to UCCN, Cheng Wai Tong, and Head of Communication and External Relations Department of MGTO, Sarah Ma, attended the Conference together with others.
At the work meeting, city representatives exchanged perspectives and shared their related work of fostering the development of Creative Cities of Gastronomy, as well as different initiatives unfolded to steer gastronomic development towards higher sustainability and innovation. MGTO also shared Macao’s remarkable practices in advancing the sustainable development in the panel discussion session. Through exchange and mutual learning, Macao can reach new progress as a Creative City of Gastronomy and keep enriching the offerings as a world centre of tourism and leisure, contributing to achievement of the goals in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Macao welcomes 10th anniversary and learns from international experience
Deputy Director Cheng Wai Tong remarked that 2027 will mark the 10th anniversary of Macao’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Capitalizing on the Conference, Macao engaged in active exchange with other Creative Cities of Gastronomy from worldwide and learned from other member cities’ successful experience, getting ready for the 10th anniversary.
Support the community service book donation initiative
In support of the community service book donation initiative of UCCN, MGTO donated the recipe collection book “Recipes with a Hope” in the Conference this year. Dedicated to a community service in Macao, the book project engaged different local chefs, bakers and mixologists who contributed their recipes and imparted culinary skills to rehabilitated participants through workshops and bringing the recipes to life. The project has transformed food into a vehicle that delivers hope and care in the community. “Recipes with a Hope” was compiled and edited by the Association of Rehabilitation of Drug Abusers of Macau (ARTM) and the International Institute of Macau (IIM).
Macao fosters preservation and innovation of gastronomic culture continuously
UNESCO’s designation of Macao as a Creative City of Gastronomy in 2017 has bestowed recognition upon Macao’s unique gastronomic culture shaped by a confluence of Eastern and Western influences. MGTO keeps steering forward preservation and innovation of Macao’s culinary culture through a diversity of initiatives. Held annually, the “International Cities of Gastronomy Fest, Macao” gathers various Creative Cities of Gastronomy from around the world and showcases Macao’s strengths as an international platform through several major highlights, reinforcing the city’s status as a world centre of tourism and leisure.
66 Creative Cities of Gastronomy in the world include seven Chinese cities
Growing fast since its inception in 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network covers eight creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Media Arts, Film, Design, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Architecture. There are 66 Creative Cities of Gastronomy globally, including seven Chinese cities namely Chengdu, Shunde, Macao, Yangzhou, Huai'an, Chaozhou and Quanzhou. At present, China is the country with the most member cities in the field of gastronomy.
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