Quanzhou Net, 2 November — (reporters Qiu Feng and Lin Zhian; correspondents Ye Guanqing, Chen Xiang and Lei Yingmiao) On the morning of 31 October, the 2026 Quanzhou International Gastronomy Month, held under the theme "Quanzhou, a UNESCO World Heritage City · Quanzhou Savour, Global Flavour," was officially launched. The event was attended by representatives of member cities of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, delegates from "Cities of Gastronomy" at home and abroad, leaders from the China National Intellectual Property Administration and relevant provincial departments, representatives of the member units of China's cross-regional collaborative IP protection mechanism for "Cities of Gastronomy," as well as scholars and experts in food culture and leading food-content creators.

　　At the launch ceremony, a feature video marking the first anniversary of Quanzhou's designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy was screened, reviewing the city's phased achievements in excavating its food culture, upgrading the industry and pursuing international exchange. This was followed by the release of a theme video for the Quanzhou Cuisine Global Promotion Plan, which charts a clear pathway for bringing Quanzhou's food to the world. Claudio Cecchinelli, Principal Coordinator of the Gastronomy sub-network of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and Tan Chee-Beng, a world-renowned anthropologist and food anthropologist, each delivered a keynote sharing. A certificate-awarding ceremony for the Quanzhou Culinary Entrepreneur IP Cultivation Programme was also held, demonstrating the city's pragmatic steps to nurture a new generation of culinary heritage bearers. In parallel, an unveiling ceremony was held for the Quanzhou City of Gastronomy Exhibition and Experience Centre (Store); these spaces, carrying the flavours of Quanzhou, will become an important window through which the city presents its food culture to the world.

　　The event also unveiled a preview of the major programmes of the 2026 Quanzhou International Gastronomy Month. As a custom-designed, water-flowing luminous runway — shaped like a Fuchuan (a traditional Fujian ocean-going vessel) and symbolising the unfurling sails of the Maritime Silk Routes — was lit up, the 2026 Quanzhou International Gastronomy Month was formally inaugurated.

　　According to organisers, the 2026 Quanzhou International Gastronomy Month will run until 6 December. Anchored by the launch ceremony, the series links seven flagship events with more than 40 supporting activities. On the afternoon of 31 October, the UNESCO-LEE KUM KEE "Forever Flavors" Young Culinary Heritage Practitioners Capacity Building Programme (Quanzhou) theme event, a creative-cities cultural exchange activity, and the "Zayton Lifeworld" symposium on empowering the inheritance of Chinese food culture and the high-quality development of distinctive industries through intellectual property were held concurrently. At the same time, city- and county-level supporting events were rolled out in tandem, covering the Mountains-and-Sea Chef King Competition, culinary culture study tours for overseas Chinese leaders, Minnan-language culinary-themed concerts, and a traditional Chinese medicinal cuisine skills competition, creating a city-wide festive atmosphere of "a theme every month, an event every week, and delicious food every day."