International Tea Day 2026: FAO celebrates the importance of tea to communities and cultures

Rome – At a ceremony marking the 7th International Tea Day, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu highlighted the vital role of tea-producing communities at the heart of the global tea sector, representing the efforts of millions of farmers, workers, and families worldwide.

“Today, we celebrate far more than a beverage enjoyed across the world – we celebrate the people, cultures, traditions, and communities whose lives are interlinked with tea,” the Director-General said. “Behind every leaf is a livelihood – behind every cup is a community,” he added.

The event held at FAO Headquarters under this year’s theme, “Sustaining Tea, Supporting Communities”, brought together tea-producing communities, cultural representatives, exhibitors and partners from around the world.

The FAO Director-General welcomed the Wuzhishan Rainforest Children’s Choir from Hainan Province, China, which showcased the cultural traditions and tea heritage of the Wuzhishan region. The celebration continued with a traditional angklung performance by Indonesia, highlighting the country’s cultural heritage and long-standing tea traditions through live music.

Tea tastings and exhibitions from Azerbaijan, Canada (Quebec), China, Indonesia, Kenya, the Russian Federation, Sri Lanka and Türkiye were also featured, further demonstrating how tea unites people across cultures and continents. Also on display were exhibits from tea-producing communities designated by FAO as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), recognizing traditions that sustain both agrobiodiversity and cultural identity.

Tea, more than a product

The Director-General noted that tea has connected families, neighbors, friends, and nations for generations, emphasizing that it is far more than just a product. Tea serves as a critical source of income and opportunity for millions of people, particularly in rural areas.

Tea continues to play a vital role in many emerging and low-income economies, supporting employment, trade, and rural development. Nearly 60 percent of the world’s tea is produced by smallholder farmers whose knowledge, resilience and dedication sustain a sector that uplifts billions of people every day. Qu highlighted that the global tea economy generates significant value – approximately USD 20 billion in production and USD 9.5 billion in trade.

These figures are more than statistics: they represent the efforts, aspirations, and future of millions of farmers, workers, and families.

At the same time, the Director-General acknowledged the significant challenges facing the sector, including low and unstable prices, limited access to finance and technology, insufficient extension services, and the growing impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss and pressure on natural resources.

International Tea Day provides an opportunity to support the tea sector and the communities behind it, ensuring that tea continues to symbolize tradition, inclusion, and prosperity.

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