Mr. Executive Secretary,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am very pleased to welcome you all to this culinary event on the occasion of the International Year of Pulses. I am confident that this year will provide us with ample opportunity to raise awareness on pulses and confirm their already well-deserved value.

Pulses are known as “poor man’s meat” in various cultures worldwide. They have low cholesterol, high fiber and amino acid content. They are also low in fat and contain essential vitamins, as well as being trans-fat and gluten free. They are the best choice in a balanced, healthy and smart diet for rich and poor alike. Besides, pulses have a smaller water footprint than many other crops and play a major role in crop rotation as a soil healer in order to avoid soil degradation.

Distinguished Guests,

Turkey is the homeland of pulses. The archeological remains in Anatolia prove that ancient agricultural production of chickpea and lentils date back to seven-eight thousand BC. Given this historical background, in Turkey we have several idioms referring to pulses, such as “chickpea room, fava bean couch” for describing very small houses; “to spill the beans” for sharing a secret that is kept for a long time. Pulses have such a unique place in Turkish cuisine and we are so fond of them that we even have a traditional dessert made from pulses, called “asure”.

Turkey produces 2.5% of pulses in the world. She is the third biggest lentils producer and ranks as the fourth country in chickpea production in the world. Today, you will have a chance to taste Turkish beans, lentils and chickpeas and also “asure” that are prepared according to traditional recipes.

I hope you enjoy this culinary adventure that will take you to different parts of the world.

Bon apétit!