Kickstarting "Socially Responsible Slow Food" Tourism in Hajdú-Bihar with the First Stakeholder Event

The first stakeholder meeting of the SReST collaboration in Hajdú-Bihar was held in Debrecen, Hungary. This meeting brought together core members of the regional stakeholder group, including farmers, producers, university experts, chambers, NGOs, and municipality decision-makers. The event focused on introducing the key objectives, planned activities, and first good practices of the project, with a special emphasis on the "slow food" approach and its potential impact on the county’s tourism, agrifood sector, and local communities in the long term.

Key Highlights:

• Project Overview: Attendees received a comprehensive introduction to the SReST project, its partnership, and the structure of activities.
• Insights from the first study visit: Lessons learned from the study visit to Carinthia were shared, providing valuable context and direction for future initiatives.
• Methodology and steps: Experts and practitioners were introduced to the project's methodology and the planned steps to become part of the "slow food" family.
• A preliminary review of local "Slow Food" values: Preliminary reviews of local "slow food" values were presented, highlighting the unique offerings of the region.

The event served as an excellent platform for discussing basic ideas within the county context, exploring related existing initiatives, and establishing a framework to define future work. Stakeholders agreed to refine these ideas through bilateral discussions.

The next stakeholder meeting is scheduled for autumn/winter 2024.