Tariq Saeedi and Raviliya Kadyrova
Napoleon says that armies march on their bellies. — The shortage of food in one continent helps populate a whole new continent. — A Sufi Master says that bread is the sixth pillar of Islam.
Food reinforces friendship. Food, or lack of it, inspires masterpieces in literature and music. Food is sometimes the dividing line between war and peace.
Perhaps, food is also an excellent expression of neutrality, particularly when you find the cuisines from more than a dozen countries in a small hall.
Together with the international conference marking the 24th anniversary of the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan that was held in Ashgabat on 11 December 2019, there was a food festival in the same building.
At the end of the conference someone told that the food festival was downstairs. We didn’t need to ask for directions. The composite aroma of the best culinary delights from many countries was wafting from somewhere. Our nose knew where to go. We just followed it.
Because of the number of guests and the food stalls in the small hall, it was not possible to take good photographs. Moreover, because we are foodies first and foremost, our attention was on eating the food rather than taking its pictures.
Nevertheless, here is some sampling of what you may have missed:
