The South Aegean is formally bidding for the title of World Region of Gastronomy 2028, becoming the first Greek region to seek the international distinction after its designation as European Region of Gastronomy in 2019.
The Regional Council approved the regional authority's proposal to submit the bid and authorised Regional Governor Giorgos Hatzimarkos to complete the process, beginning a more ambitious phase in developing the islands' gastronomic identity.
The bid is the next step in a strategy begun in 2014, when Mr Hatzimarkos became Governor. A key milestone came in 2019, when the South Aegean became Greece's first European Region of Gastronomy.
According to the Region, the twelve-year effort has shown that the 2019 distinction was more than symbolic: it launched a coherent policy with measurable results.
More than 40 festivals and gastronomic events are supported annually. Producers' participation in major exhibitions, from EXPOTROF and FOODEXPO to SIAL Paris, has grown, local products have gained wider international exposure, and young chefs have emerged as ambassadors of the islands' food culture.
Gastronomy has gradually become part of the Region's strategy for tourism, education and sustainable development. Through sustained investment, it has developed from an element of local tradition into one of the South Aegean's strongest comparative advantages, supporting development, international engagement and promotion.
A broad alliance of organisations
The bid belongs to the people of the archipelago, rather than a single organisation, the announcement says.
A South Aegean Regional Stakeholder Committee has been formed to support it, bringing together chambers, universities, hospitality organisations, cultural associations, chefs and winemakers.
Its twelve founding members are the South Aegean Region, acting as coordinator; the Region's K2 Development Organisation; the South Aegean Regional Development Fund; the Dodecanese Chamber; the Cyclades Chamber; the University of the Aegean; the Rhodes, Kos and Santorini Hoteliers' Associations; the Federation of Rhodes Cultural Associations; the Chefs' Club of the Dodecanese and the Cyclades; and the Association of Aegean Islands Winemakers and Winegrowers, ENOANA.
The alliance remains open to new social, productive, cultural and economic partners.
More than 50 initiatives
The 2028 bid presents an integrated strategy of more than 50 targeted initiatives intended to promote the island gastronomic model worldwide.
It combines stronger support for established successful activities with new flagship projects.
Priorities include gastronomic routes and cultural food experiences on each island; Gastro Zero Waste; support, international promotion and new markets for agri-food businesses; educational activities for young people, schools and vocational learners; an audiovisual archive of culinary heritage; and dialogue between island regions, coordinated by the South Aegean.
Giorgos Hatzimarkos: food as a way of life
The Governor, who initiated the bid, said:
“Across the South Aegean's fifty inhabited islands and hundreds of smaller islets, our archipelago's history has always been written through the land, the sea and the people who bring them together.
“With that deep sense of identity, we proudly seek the title of World Region of Gastronomy for 2028.
“The South Aegean is a mosaic of islands, each distinctive but united by shared values: authenticity, resilience and deep respect for tradition and nature.
“Our gastronomy reflects precisely that richness. It is wisdom born of necessity, simplicity, local ingredients, time-tested techniques and a culture of hospitality that turns every meal into a meaningful connection.
“Our islands are on the front line of the climate crisis, yet we are turning our ancient roots into a legacy for the future. Through innovative, pioneering sustainability projects — including those already under way on Tilos, Halki, Astypalaia and Rhodes — we are making our islands living laboratories of regenerative tourism.
“With the 2019 title we honoured our past. With the 2028 bid we look ahead with even greater ambition and accept the responsibility to innovate, protect our ecosystems and shape a sustainable, inclusive global model of development.
“In the South Aegean, food has never been simply nourishment. It is a way of life. It is our way of belonging. On this journey, we invite the whole world to join us.”
From European distinction to a global island model
The bid rests on the Region's experience, expertise and tangible results, which it says provide the foundation for an international model of island gastronomy, biodiversity and sustainable development.
By bringing the distinctive features of island food systems — limited resources, traditional preservation techniques and close community ties — into international discussion, the South Aegean seeks to show how gastronomy can drive a sustainable, secure future.
The journey has begun, the announcement concludes, and the Region is ready to take a leading place on the global gastronomic map once again.
