A new e-publication titled “Gastronomic Heritage in Mediterranean wetlands – healthy wetlands, healthy eating” created by MedINA is now online. The material presented in this publication was collected –on a voluntarily basis–from people with diverse backgrounds who are associated with Mediterranean wetlands on many different levels; the book would not have been possible without their invaluable contribution and imaginative culinary abilities. The sites and recipes presented are all good examples of humans-wetlands co-existence. They are stories of water and life. It is a small but essential tool in the effort to record old and create new “memories”, to feel the aromatic wetland blends, and to taste the flavour of their products.
The purpose of this publication is to promote the culinary heritage of Mediterranean wetlands (i.e. healthy wetlands, healthy eating) and, at the same time, further encourage the incorporation of cultural values in the management of wetlands, in accordance with Ramsar Resolutions VIII.19 and IX.21. Also, this e-book intends to document the diachronic links of Mediterranean communities to wetlands, to demonstrate how these links can be strengthened and, thus, to create better conditions for the sustainable use of these invaluable ecosystems.
The e-publication was created in the framework of a three year programme entitled “Conservation of the natural and cultural heritage in wetlands” implemented by the Ramsar Convention Secretariat and funded by the MAVA Foundation. Launched in March 2015, its main objective is “to develop, in close collaboration with Contracting Parties, further projects on culture and wetlands in each Ramsar region that can act as an inspiration for other Contracting Parties, could be replicated in other regions and provide opportunities to enhance CEPA outcomes” and act as an example of the rich cultural diversity linked to wetlands across the world.