Sustaining Tea, Supporting Communities

Geneva – FAO, in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka and the United Nations Office at Geneva, hosted a lively celebration of International Tea Day under the theme “Sustaining Tea, Supporting Communities.” 

Held at the Palais des Nations, the event highlighted how tea-producing communities, shaped by people, landscapes, traditions, and everyday practices, remain at the heart of the global tea sector, while also contributing to sustainable development and livelihoods. 

This year’s celebration featured two main segments: a high-level segment and an interactive Ceylon tea-tasting session, designed to foster both reflection and cultural appreciation. 

High-level segment  

The event opened with remarks from Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva, who emphasized that the tea sector is a vital source of livelihoods supporting over 13 million people around the world. He also connected this day with the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, stressing that “millions of women are involved across the tea value chain, from tea-picking to processing, from crop to our cup.” 

Noting that behind every cup of tea there are communities whose knowledge, traditions and daily work have shaped the sector across generations, Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), on behalf of the Director-General of UNOG, highlighted the cultural and human dimensions of the tea sector.  

In his remarks, H.E. Sumith Dassanayake, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, highlighted the rich legacy of Ceylon Tea and its evolution into a globally recognized symbol of quality. He also underscored the tea industry’s importance as a vital source of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of people. 

The programme followed with FAO video “Farmed with Care,” exploring how tea, beyond a simple beverage, offers a moment of pause and reflection, while embodying centuries of craftsmanship and dedication. 

Setting the scene, El Mamoun Amrouk, Senior Economist, Markets and Trade Division, FAO, highlighted the importance of the tea sector for many developing countries, reflecting on global tea market trends & outlining key challenges facing the sector, including climate-related events, as well as policy options to address them. 

James Suranga Perera, Executive Director, International Tea Committee, London and UK Tea Academy Specialist, presented statistics and data on the tea sector, underscoring its role in “leading to the empowerment of communities and enriching lives”. He also explained the difference between white, black, green, and oolong teas. 

After the video "Ceylon Tea – Only from Sri Lanka"  H.E. R. G. S. Wijesekara, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the WTO closed the first part of the celebration, thanking speakers, partners and guests for making tea day a success and warmly invited participants to continue the conversation over a cup of Ceylon Tea. 

Networking over a cup of tea 

The session concluded with a Ceylon tea-tasting experience, followed by a networking opportunity, a moment to slow down, connect, and reflect on the journey behind every cup of tea. 

Beyond celebration, the day served as a reminder that tea is not only a global commodity, but a living system shaped by the people and communities at its core. It called for greater awareness of the links between consumption and origin, and for continued efforts to support sustainable practices across the tea value chain.