Speaking at the opening, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Nadir Alpaslan, stated that Gaziantep, rising on the historical Silk Road, is an important center that blends its thousands of years of history with its lively city culture, and said, "Gaziantep is hosting the enthusiasm of the Turkey Cultural Road Festival for the fourth time today. The heart of culture, art and our unique gastronomy heritage will beat here in Gaziantep for the next 9 days. Gaziantep, the 21st stop of our festival in 2026, has historical depth and cultural heritage." "With its accumulation, it is one of the strongest supporting pillars of this route." he said.
Drawing attention to the living cultural heritage of Gaziantep, Alpaslan stated that 25 different elements registered in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage and 126 registered heritage bearer masters continue to keep the cultural heritage alive in the city.
He stated that the richness ranging from mother-of-pearl inlay to coppersmithing, from kutnu fabric to Antep work, from scarf making to traditional conversation meetings, is an important part of Gaziantep's cultural identity.
Alpaslan stated that 246 events and 7 exhibitions will be presented to visitors in 14 different venues for nine days within the scope of the festival; He said that a comprehensive program will be held in different parts of the city with theaters, children's plays, interviews, workshops and concerts.
Speaking at the opening program, Gaziantep Governor Kemal Çeber stated that it was a great pride for the city to host the Turkey Cultural Road Festival for the 4th time with its thousands of years of history, unique location on the Silk Road, strong cultural heritage and UNESCO registered gastronomy.
Çeber stated that Gaziantep is a special city that keeps the great legacy it received from the past alive today and carries its culture and art to the future as a part of its daily life. During the festival, visitors will not only see the history of the city; He said that he will have the opportunity to get to know his master, his art, cuisine and ancient city culture closely.
From mother-of-pearl inlay to coppersmithing, from kutnu fabric to Antep work; Emphasizing that the rich cultural and gastronomic values of Gaziantep, from beyran to nesting, from kebab to Antep baklava, will be brought together with guests from all over Turkey, Çeber said, "Gaziantep is a living cultural city that is not only proud of its past, but also carries its past to the future. We will experience culture, art and gastronomy all around our city with hundreds of events for nine days." he said.
Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Nadir Alpaslan, stated that Gaziantep cuisine is not just a food culture, but one of the basic elements of the city's identity, and said, "Gaziantep cuisine is not just a food culture or a taste stop. It is the soul and identity of this city, with its production traditions, labor from field to table, seasonal products and recipes passed down from generation to generation. From beyran to nesting, shiveydiz to küşleme and the world-famous Antep baklava, this cuisine is the 2015 "It has proven its maturity to the world by entering the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2018." he said.
Stating that gastronomy is handled with a more systematic and sustainable structure within the scope of the festival, Alpaslan said, "We have determined more than 70 venues, from traditional tradesman restaurants to bakeries, from historical coffee houses to baklava shops, that accurately reflect the city's deep-rooted culinary heritage, as Turkey Culture Road Festival Taste Points. We will introduce the unique gastronomy culture of Gaziantep to our visitors through these points." he said.
Chef Doğa Çitçi and MasterChef jury member Chef Mehmet Yalçınkaya will host the gastronomy program of the GastroAntep Culture Road Festival. Workshops, tasting events and interviews will be held with the participation of Ömür Akkor, Ahmet Güzelyağdöken and Umut Karakuş. Gastronomy will be explained not only as a taste experience but also as a living cultural heritage.
