Giant f&v José Cuéllar El Mundo

Photo: José Cuéllar

Gigantic fruits and vegetables have sprung up in front of emblematic buildings across Valencia as part of the city’s yearlong celebration at being named World Sustainable Food Capital 2017 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation.

The city’s inhabitants awoke this week to find a giant orange in front of the headquarters of the regional government, the Palau de la Generalitat, along with a huge pepper outside the cathedral in the Plaza de la Virgen and a lemon at the main train station, photographed here by José Cuéllar for El Mundo.

Other sculptures in the initiative were an aubergine in front of the palace of the Marques de Dos Aguas and a tomato outside the city’s iconic Torres de Serrano.

As part of the FAO initiative, Valencia will next month host a summit of mayors from more than 130 cities from all over the world who have signed up to the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact.

The Pact commits to developing sustainable food systems that provide healthy and affordable food to urban populations.