GAZIANTEP, Türkiye, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- The seventh edition of the international gastronomy festival GastroAntep kicked off on Saturday in Gaziantep of southeastern Türkiye, a city renowned for its rich culinary heritage.

Co-organized by the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the nine-day festival, running from Sept. 13 to 21, features hundreds of events, including concerts, theater performances, talks, and gastronomic presentations, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Nadir Alpaslan said at the opening ceremony.

On Saturday, the festival kicked off with a lively procession winding through the heart of Gaziantep. Beginning at Gaziantep Castle, it passed the bustling, historic Coppersmiths' Bazaar before concluding at Balikli Park, one of the city's oldest parks.

Describing Gaziantep as "a mosaic of civilizations," Mayor Fatma Sahin highlighted that the city's cuisine is deeply rooted in tradition and ritual.

GastroAntep was launched in 2018, and this year's edition forms part of the nationwide Culture Road Festival.

Gaziantep was added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's list of Creative Cities Network for Gastronomy in 2015. Established in 2004, the network recognized gastronomy as one of its seven creative fields. ■