Skål International
The Association for the Protection of Gastronomic Heritage Accredited by UNESCO
The Association for the Protection of Gastronomic Heritage Accredited by UNESCO
A dear friend whom I had the honor of introducing to Skål International Madrid, Visi González, has worked for many years to promote and protect Gastronomic Heritage, now recognized by UNESCO.
Skål International Madrid and the global Skål International community celebrate an important achievement by one of its members. Visi González, President of the Association for the Protection of Gastronomic Heritage (APPG) and a member of Skål International, has led the process that culminated in the official accreditation of the association by UNESCO as an advisory organization to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
This accreditation, approved during the 11th General Assembly of the States Parties to the 2003 Convention, held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, places the Association for the Protection of Gastronomic Heritage among a select group of international organizations that collaborate with the Intergovernmental Committee in evaluating nominations, preparing technical reports, and providing specialized advice on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
For Visi González, this recognition represents the culmination of many years of work dedicated to the research, identification, protection, and promotion of gastronomic heritage as one of the most representative cultural expressions of peoples and territories.
With an extensive professional background in tourism and territorial development, Visi González has promoted through APPG a working model based on scientific rigor, collaboration with universities and international experts, and cooperation with public administrations, producers, and local communities to ensure the preservation and transmission of gastronomic traditions to future generations.
The accreditation will enable the Association for the Protection of Gastronomic Heritage to officially collaborate with UNESCO in evaluation and advisory processes related to Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as to develop international projects focused on the identification, documentation, protection, and promotion of gastronomic heritage as a tool for cultural, social, economic, and tourism development.
As a member of Skål International, Visi González believes that this recognition also highlights the valuable contribution tourism professionals can make to heritage protection and to the advancement of a more sustainable, responsible form of tourism that is committed to local communities.
"Gastronomy is much more than a tourism experience; it is memory, identity, and culture. This accreditation represents a tremendous responsibility and, at the same time, an opportunity to work alongside institutions, destinations, and communities around the world to protect a heritage that belongs to us all. I am especially proud to share this achievement with the Skål International family, an organization that embodies the values of friendship, cooperation, and the development of global tourism," said Visi González.
The inclusion of APPG among UNESCO's accredited organizations constitutes significant international recognition for a Spanish entity specializing in gastronomic heritage and reinforces the role that gastronomy plays as an element of cultural identity and a driver of sustainable tourism, principles that Skål International has promoted worldwide for more than nine decades.
This accreditation, approved during the 11th General Assembly of the States Parties to the 2003 Convention, held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, places the Association for the Protection of Gastronomic Heritage among a select group of international organizations that collaborate with the Intergovernmental Committee in evaluating nominations, preparing technical reports, and providing specialized advice on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
For Visi González, this recognition represents the culmination of many years of work dedicated to the research, identification, protection, and promotion of gastronomic heritage as one of the most representative cultural expressions of peoples and territories.
With an extensive professional background in tourism and territorial development, Visi González has promoted through APPG a working model based on scientific rigor, collaboration with universities and international experts, and cooperation with public administrations, producers, and local communities to ensure the preservation and transmission of gastronomic traditions to future generations.
The accreditation will enable the Association for the Protection of Gastronomic Heritage to officially collaborate with UNESCO in evaluation and advisory processes related to Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as to develop international projects focused on the identification, documentation, protection, and promotion of gastronomic heritage as a tool for cultural, social, economic, and tourism development.
As a member of Skål International, Visi González believes that this recognition also highlights the valuable contribution tourism professionals can make to heritage protection and to the advancement of a more sustainable, responsible form of tourism that is committed to local communities.
"Gastronomy is much more than a tourism experience; it is memory, identity, and culture. This accreditation represents a tremendous responsibility and, at the same time, an opportunity to work alongside institutions, destinations, and communities around the world to protect a heritage that belongs to us all. I am especially proud to share this achievement with the Skål International family, an organization that embodies the values of friendship, cooperation, and the development of global tourism," said Visi González.
The inclusion of APPG among UNESCO's accredited organizations constitutes significant international recognition for a Spanish entity specializing in gastronomic heritage and reinforces the role that gastronomy plays as an element of cultural identity and a driver of sustainable tourism, principles that Skål International has promoted worldwide for more than nine decades.
