Conversation Cycle “Alimentar uma Causa”: War and Peace at the Table. With José Azeredo Lopes

"War and Peace at the Table – International Politics and Gastro Diplomacy". - This is the title of another session integrated into the “Alimentar uma Causa” Conversation Cycle, an initiative promoted by the Serralves Foundation in scientific partnership with Universidade Católica.

José Azeredo Lopes, professor at the UCP's Porto Faculty of Law, will be the speaker at the event that will take place on February 20th, 6:30 pm, at Serralves Foundation Library.

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Synopsis

Gastro diplomacy has different dimensions. On the one hand, in a limited sense, it is understood as a form of public policy in which in a systematized way the State, using its kitchen, exercises a form of foreign policy. From this perspective, gastro diplomacy differs from diplomatic cuisine, with diplomatic practices adopted at meals between state representatives.
The cultural, individual, and collective dimension of food and its importance in establishing individual, but also interstate, relationships are undeniable. There are many examples related to food or, more generally, the way of preparing it, which are part of UNESCO's list of intangible heritage of humanity: from specific dishes, artifacts, and even entire “rituals”. From the products used to the cooking method to the moment of communion and dialogue that the meal provides, the cultural (and intercultural) dimension and meeting that can happen around a table is evident.
However, there is no shortage of less “peaceful” examples around gastro diplomacy in war and peace. Cuisine and gastronomy are increasingly important for cultural appropriation and capture, as well as in the affirmation of relations of dominance and erasure of the adversary. This is why, in current conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and Palestine, gastronomy or food is not always (or, perhaps better, rarely) associated with a message of peace, conciliation, and dialogue. Gastronomy, as a cultural symbol, has also been the target of polarization and the claim of cultural heritage.

More information about the Conversation Cycle “Alimentar uma Causa” is available here.