This candidacy is more than a celebration of our culinary heritage: it is a strategic platform for sustainable development, regional cohesion, and European recognition. Gastronomy, understood in its broadest sense – from agriculture and local production to food education, tourism, innovation, and culture – becomes the driving force of a new model for integrated and inclusive economic development. 

Our goal is to build a coherent gastronomic ecosystem for the Banat, bringing together local authorities, universities, research institutions, entrepreneurs, the hospitality sector, producers, tourism operators, and communities in a genuine regional partnership. 

This inter-county collaboration is essential to generating sustainable public policies, revitalising rural communities, and creating new economic opportunities, especially in areas affected by depopulation. 

Banat 2028 is a call to unity, collaboration, and active involvement. We will support regenerative agriculture, short supply chains, the circular economy, rural entrepreneurship, and the training of a new generation of professionals in sustainable gastronomy. We will encourage innovation, research, artistic expression, and digitalisation in the gastronomic sector, turning the Banat into a European example of applied creativity and local sustainability. 

Gastronomic tourism will be a major pillar of this transformation: we will create culinary routes and itineraries, slow food experiences, and events that highlight the region’s multicultural identity and natural heritage. We aim for authentic, educational, and respectful tourism that strengthens the bond between hosts and visitors, while contributing to the development of local communities. 

At the same time, food education, health, and environmental responsibility will be cross-cutting priorities of our programme. 

We will launch campaigns for a healthy lifestyle, develop educational projects for all ages, and promote conscious consumption and the protection of biodiversity. 

As President of Timiș County Council, I see the Banat’s candidacy for European Region of Gastronomy 2028 not just as a prestigious project, but as a strategic investment in the future of our region. From my very first year in once, the tourism budget has been a priority, backed by significant financial allocations and a development plan designed to showcase the Banat’s cultural, gastronomic, and natural potential. 

Our vision is clear: to combine modern infrastructure with the traditions that give this corner of the world its identity. The investments we have planned for the coming years will modernise tourism infrastructure, promote both rural and 

1. Foreword urban destinations, and integrate our culinary heritage into attractive thematic circuits. Traditional gastronomy, cultural festivals, and high-quality agri-food products must become the Banat’s ambassadors in Europe.

However, the development of tourism and gastronomy depends directly on the quality of our road infrastructure. This is why the County Council’s agenda includes projects such as the modernisation of county roads, the creation of a new link between Timișoara and the A1 motorway, and the doubling of the Southern Ring Road – all designed to ensure rapid and comfortable access to the region’s main tourist and gastronomic attractions. 

Modern, safe road links will enable visitors to reach, with ease, villages with culinary traditions, vineyards, local producers’ farms, and the venues of major gastronomic events. In this way, infrastructure becomes not only a logistical necessity but also a cornerstone of our strategy for securing this European title and leaving a lasting legacy for future generations. 

We are fully aware of the global challenges: climate change, food insecurity, the loss of local identity. That is why Banat 2028 is not an endpoint, but the start of a journey of profound transformation, part of a long-term strategy for sustainable regional development, European cooperation, and cultural and gastronomic diplomacy. In short, it is a declaration of European responsibility – a commitment to a fairer, healthier, and more united future. 

On behalf of Timiș County Council and our collaborators across the region, I wish to thank all those who have contributed to this candidacy, and in particular the International Institute of 

Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT) for their partnership and the valuable expertise they bring. I rearm our firm commitment to the principles of this title and to the extraordinary potential of gastronomy to drive economic, social, and cultural progress. 

We invite Europe to discover the Banat – not just for its flavours, but for its unique journey towards the future. 

Mr. Alfred SIMONIS 

President of Timiș County Council 

President of the Union of County Councils of Romania