Erzurum Technical University (ETU) Faculty of Health Sciences organized a panel titled "We Feed from Our Roots".

In addition to Behtiye Çakmak, wife of ETU Rector Prof. Dr. Bülent Çakmak, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Elanur Yılmaz Karabulutlu, Ministry of Culture and Tourism Pen Poet Zekiye Çomaklı, academicians and many students attended the panel organized to introduce Erzurum's culinary culture and raise awareness on this issue.

Delivering the opening speech of the panel held at the Life Center Conference Hall, Faculty of Health Sciences, Head of Nutrition and Dietetics Department Assoc. Prof. Dr. Betül Kocaadam Bozkurt stated that Erzurum is one of the rich cuisines of Turkey with its ancient cuisine, local flavors and geographically marked products: "Our roots are our values that form our identity. These values are the elements that connect us to each other and show that we have a common past. Feeding from our roots means recognizing and keeping these values alive. In order to recognize and preserve these values, it is necessary to know our history and culture well and to pass on this knowledge to future generations. Erzurum cuisine has reflected the lifestyle, culture and traditions of this people for centuries. At the same time, Erzurum cuisine has also found its place in folk songs, folk tales and poems. Today, in our panel, we will discuss the reflections of Erzurum cuisine in folk songs, chansonettes and poems and the journey of geographically marked products in the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey. I thank you all for your participation," he said.

Zekiye Çomaklı, who participated in the panel as a speaker, pointed out that folk songs and chansonettes have an important place in Erzurum cuisine: "Folk songs are a mirror reflecting social life in Erzurum as in every region. People have expressed many disasters, pain and love with folk songs and ballads. In this respect, ballads and folk songs are documents that convey the experience. Erzurum cuisine culture has a special place in chamsonettes. Sometimes ballads are arranged for food, sometimes food is mentioned in ballads. Love, homesickness, separation, longing, jealousy, misfortune, advice, reproach, prayer, sadness, longing, loyalty, disloyalty are interspersed in Erzurum region ballads."

After Çomaklı, Atatürk University Vocational School of Social Sciences Vocational School of Social Sciences Tourism and Hotel Management Program lecturer Lecturer. Assist. Prof. Erkan Denk stated that Turkey's local product potential is quite high and gave information to the audience about the qualities and characteristics of geographically marked products.

After the speeches, the program ended with the participants tasting the forgotten dishes of Erzurum cuisine prepared with the contributions of Palandöken Innovation Women Entrepreneurs Production and Business Cooperative, Erzurum Red Crescent Branch and Mine Barın.

Corporate Communication and Promotion Directorate 28.12.2023