The 200th anniversary of seven Latin American countries’ independence was celebrated with a buffet luncheon at Le Piment Rouge, the practice restaurant of the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management.
The event was part of a bicentennial program organized jointly by the embassies of Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Peru with the support of Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The program is in turn part of a cooperative diplomacy project initiated to mark the 200th anniversary of the seven countries in 2021 and 2022 and the centennial of the Republic of Turkey in 2023.
The luncheon offered a selection of traditional dishes from all seven countries, which were prepared by THM students under the supervision of Le Piment Rouge chef Elif Denizci and service instructor Ali Ünal, joined for the occasion by chefs from Mexico, Peru and Brazil.
Ambassador Alberto Campana Boluarte of Peru gave opening remarks at the event, noting that this special occasion was an important part of the joint diplomacy project that started in May with the laying of a wreath on the final resting place of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey.
Prof. Halil Altay Güvenir, dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, welcomed guests to the luncheon with a speech in which he stated that the event enhanced the cultural ties between Turkey and Latin American countries through the sharing of through culinary experiences.
Among the guests were ambassadors from several countries, including the seven bicentennial countries as well as Chile, Colombia and Paraguay. Representing Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs were Ambassador and Director General for the Americas Levent Gümrükçü and Director General of Foreign Promotion and Cultural Affairs Deniz Çakar; Gürkan Boztepe attended in his capacity as president of the Gastronomic Tourism Association.