ISLAMABAD: The Turkish ambassador’s wife, Zlatomira Yurdakul, met foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood in his office here and presented him with a cookery book launched by the wives of 50 foreign envoys based in Islamabad. Titled ‘Culinary Diplomacy: Sharing Recipes, Building Bridges’ and produced by the Heads of Diplomatic Mission’s Spouses Group in two years, the book has around 150 recipes from around the world. The group was formed in 2018 and comprises wives of foreign ambassadors and high commissioners serving in the country. Zlatomira Yurdakul told the foreign secretary that the gastrodiplomacy initiative was meant to inform the people of Pakistan about other nations and their history, traditions, culture and food, and thus, helping strengthen people-to-people relations. She said the book had recipes for appetizers, salads, drinks, breads, cakes, pasta, and traditional main courses with pictures and popular stories attached to them. Zlatomira Yurdakul also said the money generated by the book’s sales would be given away to the local charities registered by the Pakistani government. The foreign secretary appreciated the initiative and said it would introduce food from around the world to Pakistanis and thus, promoting harmony among nations.