The Banat 2028 – European Region of Gastronomy candidacy is more than just a project. It is a collective mission, a process of rediscovery, of strengthening our regional identity, and of showcasing the extraordinary potential that Banat holds on both the national and European stage. As the coordinating and implementing organisation, the Timiș County Tourism Promotion and Development Association (Visit Timiș) has the honour and responsibility of uniting the energy and resources of all stakeholders involved, building bridges between communities, sectors, and institutions, and giving coherence to a shared vision.
Banat is a region of taste, diversity, and coexistence. From Timișoara to the remote villages of the Banat Mountains, from the Western Plain to the Danube Gorge, its gastronomy tells a story of belonging, migration, tradition, and adaptation. It is a story in which every cultural community, every generation, has left its mark – in recipes, in customs, and in its relationship with the land and its resources. At its core, the Banat 2028 candidacy is a sustainable development strategy, using gastronomy as a driver for economic growth, social inclusion, innovation, and education. Through this project, our aim is not only to promote the local culinary heritage, but also to create a real impact: supporting local producers, revitalising villages, towns and cities, boosting the hospitality sector, attracting tourists and investors, developing new skills, strengthening regional identity, and forging new European connections.
We are fully aware that this title is both a unique opportunity and a long-term responsibility. Drawing on the experience of Timișoara – European Capital of Culture 2023, a project I coordinated for nine years, we have once again worked with our team and partners to build a strong candidacy, grounded in active partnerships, and the genuine involvement of the public, private and academic sectors. We have defined clear action lines around key themes such as: sustainable gastronomic tourism, food education, creativity and innovation, health and environmental responsibility, intertwined with the art and culture of the region. Bringing together our region’s strengths and our partners’ vision in this bid book has been a demanding yet rewarding journey.
Visit Timiș will coordinate the implementation of this vision in a participatory, transparent, and effcient manner, together with its partners and sponsors, and alongside the Regional Stakeholders’ Committee. We will work in network with our partner counties – Caraș-Severin and Arad – and with all local actors, from municipalities and county councils to entrepreneurs, farmers, NGOs, cultural institutions, universities, tourism operators, artists and citizens. Only together can we make Banat a model of best practice at European level.
We believe gastronomy can offer not only flavour and experience, but meaning: meaning for young people seeking a future here, for local producers able to capitalise on their work, for tourists in search of authenticity, and for communities striving for a better life, respectful of nature and tradition.
On behalf of the Visit Timiș team, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this candidacy—the members of the Regional Stakeholders Committee, our partners, and sector-specific advisers. I am especially grateful to my colleagues—Sorina Ciurlea (Deputy Director), Bianca Vințan, Marilena Drăghicescu, Adrian Mitar, Daniel Popa, Meda Skeja, Mariana Erbslöh, Adina Leaha — for all their support.
We reaffrm our strong commitment to carrying this mission forward in the years ahead. We are ready. We have the vision. And we have a story worth telling – through taste, through people, through action.
