Archive · 7 Jan 2026
First International Spice Routes Conference in Kerala
A big meeting called the International Spice Routes Conference happened in Kerala, India.
It was the first time such a meeting was held.
People from all over India and 22 other countries came to talk about how spices were traded a long time ago.
They talked about how this trade affected culture, language, food, and more.
The meeting was held in a historic palace and included discussions and photo exhibitions.
The goal was to learn from the past and think about how to use this history for tourism and culture today.
The first International Spice Routes Conference was held at Bolgatty Palace in Kochi, Kerala.
Participants included historians, researchers, and cultural practitioners from India and 22 countries.
The conference aimed to explore the impact of ancient spice trade on culture, language, and culinary traditions.
Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas inaugurated the event, emphasizing the cultural and material commonalities brought by the spice trade.
The conference featured panel discussions and photography exhibitions on various aspects of the spice trade and its legacy.
- Who
- Historians, researchers, archaeologists, policy makers, tourism stakeholders, and cultural practitioners from India and 22 countries
- What
- First International Spice Routes Conference
- When
- January 6-8
- Where
- Bolgatty Palace, Kochi, Kerala
- Why
- To revisit the past and envision a shared future through the lens of ancient spice trade networks and social histories
- Location
- Bolgatty Palace, Kochi, Kerala
- Date
- January 6-8
- Organizers
- Muziris Heritage Project and Kerala Tourism Department
- Participants
- Historians, researchers, archaeologists, policy makers, tourism stakeholders, and cultural practitioners from India and 22 countries
- Duration
- Three days
- Key Speaker
- Kerala Tourism Minister PA Mohammed Riyas
- Chief Guest
- Manal Ataya, Director General, Sharjah Museums Authority
- Exhibitions
- Chavittu Nadakam (KR Sunil), Seeing is Believing (Biju Ibrahim), and Migrant Dreams (archival photographs)
Sources
The first International Spice Routes Conference in Kerala tells the story of spices through ancient trade networks and social histories
Scent of history: Kerala launches a new spice route network to connect cultures
Spice routes made Kerala global trading hub: Experts
Experts call for coordinated effort to secure UNESCO recognition for Muziris heritage project
