The capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, has been officially proposed by India to be a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. This recognition aims to bring to light the Awadhi cuisine, which has always been a favourite among foodies in the region and around the world. This rich culinary tradition of Lucknow, whether it is the famous Tunday Kebabs and Kakori Kebabs or vegetarian food items such as Durga Ke Khaste and Bajpai Ki Puri, is a blend of courtly cuisine and home-style delicacies. The city's proposal for a Creative City of Gastronomy is an attempt to secure a UNESCO designation, similar to its Chikankari and Banarasi sarees.

Lucknow is a bid to be a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, in recognition of its traditional Awadhi cuisine. The food culture in the city is a vital element of its culture, offering both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.

Key Details Regarding Lucknow's Nomination

1. The UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy Proposal

Awadhi Cuisine Highlighted:

• Lucknow has submitted the proposal to UNESCO to be known as a Creative City of Gastronomy. The nomination dreads Awadhi cuisine, a vegetarian and non-vegetarian mix of delicacies that have been part of the city's cultural heritage.

Nomination Process:

• The nomination process is being spearheaded by the culture and tourism department of the UP government, along with the assistance of Mumbai-based consultant Abha Narain Lambah, who compiled the detailed dossier that will be submitted to UNESCO.

2. Lucknow’s Rich Gastronomic Heritage

Delicious Non-Veg Specialities:

• Lucknow is the place to savour Tunday Kebabs, Kakori Kebabs, Mutton Biryani and Chicken Kebabs, just to name a few items that would make your mouth water.

• The royal kitchens of Awadh have a profound impact on the city's food culture, and there are specific recipes that have been passed down through generations.

Vegetarian Offerings:

• Lucknow is also famous for its non-vegetarian dishes, along with vegetarian legends like Durga Ke Khaste, Bajpai ki Puri, khasta, and kachori.

• The city is also inclined towards sweets. Motichur ke Laddu, Malai Paan and Imarti are some of the traditional sweets which are famous in the city.

3. Growing Global Recognition for Lucknow’s Culinary Scene

G20 and other High-Level Visits:

• The recent G20 Summit, DefExpo, and UP Investors Summit have added an international dimension to the city, as well as another focus on its culinary tradition. Foreigners have sampled the sumptuous food in Lucknow, and this is the boost this city needed in its quest to win the UNESCO status.

Tourism Impact:

• Lucknow is already an established tourism destination, with 480 million tourists visiting the city every year, many of whom come to the city's food courts to relish the variety of local delicacies.

4. Cultural Significance of Lucknow’s Cuisine

Blending of the Past and the Present:

• As Abha Narain Lambah writes about the cuisine of Lucknow, it is not just a repository of traditional Awadhi cuisine. Still, it is also evolving and progressive, accommodating new tastes and preferences. Such fineness and diversity have established Lucknow as a culinary destination for people worldwide.

Culinary Evolution:

• The food scene in Lucknow is constantly evolving, with the abundance of traditional food being combined with the ever-changing flavours of contemporary food culture. The fact that the city has managed to strike the right balance between tradition and innovation in terms of what it offers in terms of food also makes it deserving of UNESCO status.

5. Next Steps for the Nomination

Final Data Submission: 

The application of Lucknow as the Creative City of Gastronomy is going to be re-examined, and a final round of data is to be provided by the end of June. After that, UNESCO representatives may arrive in the city to investigate the statements and assess the food heritage.

Focus on Awadhi Cuisine’s Global Impact: 

• The city's food proposal focuses on the rich food culture of Lucknow and its potential contribution to the world's food culture, with the epicentre of this gastronomic movement being Awadhi cuisine.

Indian Cuisine Origins and Evolution:

• Indian cuisine reflects a 5000-year history of cultural and community influences.

• The spice trade with Europe was crucial to the Age of Discovery, making Indian spices highly sought after globally.

• Early cuisine involved simple food habits of the Aryans, later becoming more complex with agricultural advancements.

• Vegetarianism emerged due to religious influences like Buddhism and Jainism.

Foreign Influences on Indian Cuisine:

• Greek, Roman, and Arab traders brought essential spices such as saffron, cumin, and coriander.

• Arabs introduced coffee, and Persian Zoroastrians influenced the development of Parsi cuisine, including the introduction of biryani.

• The Mughals revolutionized food with Mughlai cuisine, introducing dry fruits and nuts.

• The Portuguese introduced tomatoes, potatoes, sugar, and refined sugar.

• British colonial influence led to tea culture and the use of knives and forks.

The Role of Spices and Herbs:

• Spices are integral to Indian cuisine, with 'masala' being a blend of various herbs, such as garam masala.

• Ancient Ayurvedic texts highlight the medicinal properties of spices.

• Indian spices were traded globally, influencing the cultures of many nations.

Regional Cuisines in India:

• North India: Known for Mughlai cuisine, which includes rich dishes like kebabs, kormas, and biryanis, and the use of wheat-based breads like naan and roti.

• South India: Focuses on griddled foods like dosas, sambars, and seafood, with heavy use of tamarind, coconut, and 'kari' leaves.

• East India: Bengali cuisine emphasises fish, mustard oil, and subtle flavours; Oriya cuisine is known for its delicate spices and seafood.

• West India: Includes diverse cuisines such as Rajasthani, Gujarati, and Goan, with influences from hunting, vegetarianism, and Portuguese rule.

Festivals and Traditional Foods:

• India celebrates numerous festivals with special dishes offered to deities, such as Modakas during Ganesh Chaturthi or milk pudding during Janmashtami.

Indian Food Around the World:

• Indian food, especially curry, tandoori dishes like chicken tikka, and biryani, is popular worldwide.
  Indian cuisine has had a significant influence on the cuisines of Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Middle East.

• Indian food's global presence, exemplified by dishes like Chicken Tikka Masala in the UK, highlights its widespread popularity.

Conclusion

The nomination of Lucknow as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy highlights the abundance of Awadhi cuisine and its rich food culture. As its profile grows internationally, thanks to the presence of a substantial tourism industry and high-profile visits and connections with the outside world, Lucknow is seeking to be ranked among other world cities which are known for their culinary arts. The city's bid to win this coveted title underscores how food culture, heritage, and contemporary tourism converge to give the town a stronger sense of place in the global arena.

At the U.N. Ocean Conference in Nice, France, 18 countries signed the High Seas Treaty, making a total of 49 ratifications, only 11 more ratifications needed to enable the agreement to come into force. The treaty, formally called the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), is the first legally-binding instrument aimed to preserve marine diversity in international waters, making up almost two-thirds of the ocean. That boost in numbers has raised hope that the treaty might be adopted in the nearest future and become a historical change in the regulation of the world's oceans.

The High Seas Treaty is now being ratified by 49 countries and the EU, meaning that the treaty will need only 11 further ratifications in order to become effective. It is expected that the treaty will create no-take zones and manage the use of international waters sustainably, which is crucial in the process of protecting marine biodiversity.

Key Details Regarding the High Seas Treaty

1. What is the High Seas Treaty?

• Official Name: The treaty is formally dubbed as the Agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).

• Purpose: It is the first legally binding international agreement devoted to the protection of marine biodiversity in the high seas – the ocean regions that are not under the jurisdiction of any single nation.

• Scope: The high seas make up almost two-thirds of the ocean and almost half of the planet, but so far, they have had no effective protection in terms of legislation.

2. Why is the Treaty Important?

• Lack of Regulation: When this treaty was entered there was no wide ranging regulatory regime that could establish marine areas of protection or impose conservation strategies in the high seas which are becoming more vulnerable to overfishing, climate change and deep sea mining.

• Environmental Pressures: As the high seas come under increased pressures, environmentalists cautioned that marine life is vulnerable to irreparable damage unless it is legally protected.

• Megan Randles, the global political lead of oceans at Greenpeace, explained that the situation on the high seas was, until now, comparable to the wild west, with no effective regulations to speak of.

3. Role in Achieving Global Goals

• 30×30 Target: The agreement is also important to the global 30×30 target to ensure 30 percent of the Earth is protected by land and sea by the year 2030.

• Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): It establishes a legal basis for establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) on the high seas, which will help protect marine life diversity.

• Regulation of Destructive Activities: Destructive activities that may take place, such as deep-sea mining and geo-engineering, are also regulated by the treaty to ensure such activities are controlled in a manner that does not cause more harm to ocean life.

4. Multilateral Decision-Making

• Global Cooperation: Importantly, decisions will be reached multilaterally under the treaty via conferences of the parties (COPs) as opposed to unilateralism by individual nations. Through this system, no country will feel left out in the governance and future of the high seas.

5. What Happens Once the Treaty Reaches 60 Ratifications?

• 120-Day Countdown: After 60 countries ratify the treaty, there will be a 120-day countdown prior to the official coming into force of the treaty.

• Marine Protected Areas Implementation: The coming into force will enable the countries to begin to identify protected areas in the high seas and to establish the required oversight structures.

• Considerable Progress: The treaty now has 49 ratifications by countries and the European Union, so only 11 countries remain before the countdown can begin.

• Statement by U.N. Secretary-General: António Guterres, the U.N. Secretary-General, expressed hope, saying that the treaty will enter into force soon, and urged all countries to act swiftly.

6. What Happens After 60 Ratifications?

• COP1 Meeting: Within one year after the treaty comes into force, the first Conference of the Parties (COP1) will be held. The meeting will be aimed at preparing the ground on how the treaty will be implemented, with decisions being made on how it will be governed, funded, as well as establishing organizations that will assess proposals on marine protection.

• Global Support: Environmental organizations are urging quick action to get beyond the needed 60 ratifications, noting that it would be ideal to have the widest possible global involvement in the treaty in order to ensure its successful operation.

7. Environmental Groups' Push for Speed

• Aiming to exceed 60 Ratifications: Rebecca Hubbard, director of the High Seas Alliance, also pointed out that 60 ratifications is an important target, but in order to make the treaty effective, it is important that countries across the globe join in the implementation.

• 2025 as a Turning Point: The showing of support during the U.N. Ocean Conference has brought optimism that 2025 may be the year that protection of high seas becomes a reality and a turning point in ocean protection.

Conclusion

The High Seas Treaty, aimed at preserving biodiversity in international waters, is on the verge of becoming ratified historically, with 49 countries and the European Union already having signed on. When 60 countries ratify the treaty, it will come into force, and finally, the high seas, which are a crucial and rapidly degraded part of the planet, will have some protection. The treaty is a significant contribution to the development of marine protected areas and the control of damaging human practices, such as deep-sea mining, to international conservation ambitions. The energy created at the U.N. Ocean Conference has established an optimistic schedule towards the success of the treaty, and quickly is the call amongst advocates to see this treaty adopted globally by 2025.