Italian cuisine has been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
It is the first cuisine in the world to be recognized as such.
The decision was taken unanimously by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee, which met in New Delhi.
According to the decision, Italian cuisine is a “cultural and social blend of culinary traditions”, “a way of caring for oneself and others, of expressing love and rediscovering cultural roots, offering communities an opportunity to share their history and describe the world around them”.
The news was met with prolonged applause from the hall.
Italian cuisine was among 60 submissions under evaluation from 56 countries.
UNESCO highlights how Italian cooking “fosters social inclusion, promoting well-being and providing a channel for lifelong intergenerational learning, strengthening bonds, encouraging sharing and fostering a sense of belonging.”
For Italians, cooking is “ a communal activity that emphasizes intimacy with food, respect for ingredients, and shared moments around the table. The practice is rooted in anti-waste recipes and the transmission of tastes, skills, and memories across generations. As a multigenerational practice, with perfectly interchangeable roles, cooking plays an inclusive role, allowing everyone to enjoy an individual, collective, and ongoing experience of exchange, overcoming all intercultural and intergenerational barriers.”
Of the 21 traditions registered on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List, nine are related to agri-food: Italian cuisine, the art of Neapolitan pizza, the transport of livestock, the construction of dry stone walls in agriculture, the cultivation of the Pantelleria Zibibbo alberello grape vine, the Mediterranean diet, truffle hunting, the traditional irrigation system and the breeding of Lipizzan horses.
“Italian cuisine is our most powerful ambassador. It supports tourism, enriches Italy’s cultural offerings and proclaims to the whole world the desire to be present in many countries and among the people who make Italy a community. And today I want to thank all Italians around the world, because this is also an opportunity for them,” declared Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Dining and Cooking