Pasta or pizza, anyone? Italian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. The cuisine has a variety of dishes than just pizza. To celebrate and honour its uniqueness, Italian cuisine might soon be officially recognised by UNESCO.
Reportedly, the Italian Government in late March 2023, officially announced that it was nominating the nation's cuisine as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage element.
The nomination dossier stresses the impact it has had in shaping the bio-cultural diversity of the country. The dossier defined Italian cuisine as a “set of social practices, rites, and gestures based on the many local knowledge that, without hierarchies, identify and connote it,” as stated by the European Food Agency.
This isn’t the first time that Italian food has been on UNESCO’s radar. Neapolitan-style pizza making–the art of Neapolitan Pizzaiolo–was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list in 2017, according to reports. The protection, dictated annually, comprises “cultural practices and expressions of intangible heritage,” according to the UNESCO site.
Media reports suggest that a decision won’t be made until December 2025, however, more information around plans to ensure Italy and its food are continuously discussed will be coming soon.
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