Thuraya at IGCAT’s Global Stage in Barcelona
Barcelona, Gastronomy, and the Power of Storytelling: Thuraya at IGCAT’s Global Stage
There are cities you visit, and cities you feel. Barcelona is one of those rare places that feeds every sense at once—its colours, markets, architecture, and rhythm all move with the spirit of gastronomy. This October, I travelled there to take part in the first International Conference on Gastronomy, Culture, Arts, and Tourism by IGCAT, and what I found was more than an event. I found a family.
Among global culinary leaders, I felt an unexpected sense of belonging—as though the stories of Thuraya had simply taken their seat at a much larger table. The conversations were profound, generous, and kind. It was not industry. It was kinship.
Awarded: “Linking Urban and Rural”
During the Film Menu Awards, Thuraya was honoured in the category of “Linking Urban and Rural.” This recognition deeply reflects what our story of a Middle Eastern family kitchen carried into diaspora to a Canadian city, keeping heritage and food culture alive.
Watch the IGCAT Food Film Menu 2025 – Award Ceremony: Click here
The final announcement of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place will take place on 27 October in Gozo, Malta, and Thuraya stands with a strong chance.
But already, this honour has affirmed something essential: food can migrate, but culture need not disappear.
Barcelona Changed Me
I met visionaries from Catalonia, New Zealand, Italy, Ecuador, Romania, South Africa, and beyond. Many spoke different languages, yet every one of us understood each other when we spoke of scent, memory, and ancestors. That is the silent power of gastronomy—it bypasses translation.
In these voices, I heard echoes of my mother, Thuraya. And I realised: we are all trying to keep someone’s kitchen alive.
Thuraya is not just a cookbook. It is a diary, a tribute, a vessel. Each recipe is a chapter of a much older story—one of hospitality, displacement, reunion, and love. Being recognised by IGCAT affirms that such stories matter on a global scale.
Thank you, IGCAT, for welcoming Thuraya into this new family. The journey continues, and our table is only growing.