Full of hearty flavors and aromatic spices, Syrian cuisine is a fusion of different cultures and, in Turkey's southeastern Şanlıurfa province, Syrian women will be cooking traditional recipes with local ingredients.The refugee women of the province, which has a significant Syrian refugee population, are joining gastronomy courses where they hone their skills in cooking and also learn about Turkish culinary culture. The gastronomy project was initiated with the support of the district governorship in the province's town of Harran and will pave the way for employment for Syrian women of different ages.Vegetables are usually the main ingredients in Syrian daily cooking. Chick peas, olives, garlic, eggplant and fresh herbs, such as parsley and mint, all play a central role in Syrian cuisine, while meat dishes are typically only served during feasts and special celebrations. Traditional Syrian desserts are stuffed with different nuts, cream, cheese or dates. Ranging from "hummus" to "manoushi bread" and "tabbouleh" to "fattoush," Syrian cuisine will definitely offer a unique experience to tourists' taste buds.Two Syrian women at a cooking class in Şanlıurfa.Fond of decorating their tables with salads and different appetizers, Syrian women will introduce their food culture to local and international tourists visiting the region. With its traditional homes, the historic Ulu Mosque, Şuayb Castle and historic ruins from the world's first university, Şanlıurfa welcomes thousands of tourists each year.The gastronomy project has substantial funding, and a portion of the budget will be used to renovate an old school for the center in a style that will reflect the southeastern region's authentic architecture. Following the center's opening, training will continue there.With an age range of 16-45 years old, the disadvantaged women have joined this gastronomy project with the hope of increasing women's participation in the workforce and also to promote local cuisine. The courses have started at the family support center and have provided cultural food courses to 1,000 trainees, the majority of whom are Syrian.The gastronomy project is also being supported by the United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC). Tastes that have been long forgotten and are unique to the region are being taught in the course. "There are examples of Syrian cuisine along with Harran's local tastes, as Syrian and the women of Harran receive training and cook together in this project. This is called 'integration cuisine'," said Harran's district governor Temel Ayca.Ridap Nasır, a Syrian woman enrolled in the courses, said even though she knows how to cook, she wanted to promote Syria's culinary tastes and with this course she is also learning about Turkish food. "I believe I will learn a great deal about Turkish cuisine in this course, but I also believe that I will teach other participants how to cook Syrian dishes, which are not very well-known in Turkey," said Ridap, adding that Syrian cuisine is rich in spices, which are used in virtually every dish, and she wants to introduce these to other participants. "Hopefully, we will offer these dishes to tourists in the gastronomy building which will open soon," Ridap continued."Those who are successful in these courses will be offered jobs in the future. We are aiming to increase the female labor force significantly," Ayca said. The second stage of the project aims to build an additional kitchen with a dome as an annex to the building where successful women from the course will be creating dishes. "In this way, we will be promoting our history, unique architecture and special cuisine to tourists. Thus, by increasing the female labor force, we will also support tourism," Ayca further said.Zehra Işıldak, a local woman from Harran, said she wants to improve herself in the gastronomy field and she found the chance to learn about local dishes, some of which have not been cooked in the region for quite some time. "We have learned the rule of thumb for salt and spices and can now cook basic dishes wherever we go. We are learning preparation, decoration and presentation for guests who will visit our district. We will prepare these dishes with our Syrian friends," said Işıldak.Another Syrian woman, Besime Savır, said she also sees this course as a way to contribute to her family budget and wants to combine her skills with what she has learned at the course to support her family.