BACOLOD CITY, Philippines, Nov. 24, 2025 — Terra Madre Asia & Pacific 2025 marked a significant achievement for the Slow Food movement, showcasing the strength of community-driven efforts and the political impact of grassroots food activism. Bringing together over 2,000 representatives from across Asia and the Pacific, the gathering celebrated the region’s food heritage while underscoring the vital need for food systems that are sustainable, regenerative, and culturally embedded.

“The inaugural event has been tremendously impactful,” stated Reena Gamboa, Executive Director of Terra Madre Asia & Pacific. “These five days have revealed the abundant natural resources within the region. Farmers, cooks, and food producers have forged new alliances and recognized their potential to champion a shift towards food that is good, clean, and fair. Terra Madre Asia & Pacific has provided us with a platform to promote our food biodiversity and culinary heritage, inspiring the entire Slow Food network to drive change towards the next edition.”

“As we conclude this extraordinary assembly, I wish to emphasize how the Philippines serves as a remarkable illustration of diversity, sustainability, and quality. This is why the nation will remain central to our movement’s growth in this part of the world. We eagerly anticipate the second edition of Terra Madre Asia & Pacific in 2027,” added Paolo Di Croce, Director General of Slow Food.

The event reaffirmed Slow Food’s distributed strategy, highlighting a politically aware, culturally rich movement grounded in gastronomy, Indigenous knowledge, and biodiversity. Delegates celebrated the initial step towards establishing Bacolod in Negros Occidental as the premier international Slow Food Hub in Asia and the Pacific, thereby bolstering the movement’s regional identity and advocating for alternatives to industrial food systems, consistent with the global Slow Food vision.

“This takes place at a moment when we urgently need to undertake concrete actions against the climate crisis: actions that extend beyond negotiations and high-level discussions. Enduring climate solutions emerge from grassroots efforts,” underscored Slow Food President Edward Mukiibi. “They are rooted in biodiversity, Indigenous wisdom, and robust local food systems that prioritize communities, not corporations. The solutions we require already exist within our communities and on Slow Food farms: agroecology strengthens resilience today while mitigating emissions for the future. Terra Madre’s ultimate pledge is therefore to amplify agroecological practices, safeguard biodiversity, and reject industrial, unsustainable agricultural models.”

Focusing on the island that hosted the first edition of the event, Negros emerged as a highlight, celebrated for its unique blend of biodiversity, heritage, and community. The debut Slow Food Travel destination launched here in the Philippines will offer visitors the opportunity to experience authentic local flavors while directly engaging with the people who preserve them.

Event Highlights

The Learning Initiative featured 18 practical workshops led by farmers, cooks, and Indigenous knowledge keepers, exploring topics such as soy, spices, rice, and taro. Children, youth, and families visiting the Foodways Area learned to prepare taro, grind spices, craft miso, create bamboo-cooked dishes, and make indigenous rice snacks. More than 15 local schools brought students to participate.

Flavor Workshops were fully booked, while conferences and public speeches garnered strong engagement, with lively discussions on food and health, seed preservation, traditional crops, sustainable development, and food policies. Areas such as the Slow Food Coffee Coalition, Slow Drinks, and Terra Madre Kitchen provided venues for instruction, interaction, and networking with producers, cooks, and bartenders.

High-definition visuals are available for download.

Concerning Terra Madre Asia & Pacific

As an integral component of the global Slow Food movement, Terra Madre Asia & Pacific serves as a platform where diverse communities, culinary components, and concepts converge to influence the trajectory of food. In Bacolod, it united over 2000 representatives from throughout the region to facilitate knowledge sharing and reinforce connections for a more equitable and robust food infrastructure. TMAP 2025’s realization was a joint effort involving Slow Food, the Bacolod City Government led by Mayor Greg Gasataya, the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental led by Governor Eugenio Lacson, the Department of Tourism led by Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, the Department of Agriculture led by Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., the Department of Trade and Industry led by Secretary Cristina Roque, TESDA Director General Kiko Benitez, Congressman Albee Benitez, Congressman Javi Benitez, and Senator Loren Legarda. Collaborators comprised the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Meatless Monday, Plus63 Design Co., FEATR, and the Slow Food Community in Negros.

The assembly also unveiled a unique visual theme, drawing inspiration from island topographies and artisanal clay creations, symbolizing endurance, ecological diversity, and cultural interlinkages, conceived and executed by illustrator Dan Matutina.

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