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Turkish coffee and its centuries-old traditions took center stage at United Nations headquarters in Rome and Geneva for International Coffee Day, drawing key diplomatic figures and delegates for a celebration of heritage, trade, and multilateral cooperation.
The dual events marked the global observance following a U.N. General Assembly resolution passed in March 2026 that officially declared Oct. 1 as International Coffee Day. Türkiye played a central role in the core diplomatic group that championed the resolution.
In the Italian capital, the special event organized at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters brought together prominent coffee-producing nations and countries renowned for their deep-rooted coffee traditions, including Türkiye, Brazil, Ecuador, and Indonesia.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu toured the various national stands, sampling different coffee varieties and learning about distinct preparation methods from delegation representatives.
Among the primary highlights was the Turkish exhibit, hosted through a joint effort by the Turkish Embassy in Rome, the Yunus Emre Institute (YEE) Rome Turkish Cultural Center, and prominent Turkish brands Kurukahveci Mehmet Efendi and Solen.
Elif Comoglu Ulgen, Türkiye’s ambassador to Rome, personally welcomed Qu, offering him traditional Turkish coffee paired with classic Turkish delight while sharing the history and cultural significance behind the brew. Qu sampled the treats and commended the presentation.
Throughout the exhibition, the Turkish stand proved to be one of the most popular and highly visited attractions, drawing widespread interest from international guests eager to experience one of the world's oldest coffee traditions.
Simultaneously in Geneva, the U.N. Office co-hosted an inaugural event titled "Celebrating Coffee, Honoring the People Behind Every Cup" alongside the FAO Geneva Office and the Permanent Missions of Türkiye, Indonesia, and Rwanda.
Director-General of the UN Office at Geneva Tatiana Valovaya welcomed guests, emphasizing coffee's crucial role in international relations.
"We all start our day with coffee, invite friends for a cup, and discuss important matters over coffee during negotiations," Valovaya noted, while stressing the importance of supporting smallholder farmers facing climate pressures.
Ambassador Ayse Sozen Usluer, permanent representative of Türkiye to the U.N. in Geneva, underscored the deep cultural resonance of the beverage, which was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013.
"In Türkiye, serving someone a cup of coffee is an invitation to sit, converse, and share time," Usluer told attendees, invoking the famous Turkish proverb: "A single cup of coffee carries forty years of memory."
The Geneva program featured a panel discussion on the economic, social, and environmental vitalities of agricultural food systems, followed by a tasting session.
Guests—including Türkiye's Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ambassador Hakan Cakil and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Representative Mustafa Guven—enjoyed freshly brewed Turkish coffee and Turkish delight alongside traditional coffee offerings from Rwanda and Indonesia.
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