From handmade pastas and doughy pizzas to fruity gelatos and heavenly coffee, Italian food is basically happiness on a plate. It’s one of the world’s favourite cuisines – and could soon be officially recognised and protected for its heritage.
The Italian ministries of culture and agriculture have joined forces to nominate their nation’s cuisine to be officially listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage for 2023.
Within the nomination dossier, the Italian government highlighted the intangible cultural heritages, social practices and rites the cuisine represents. It explained that their food reflects the biocultural diversity of the country and the national tradition of preparing and eating a meal to bond with loved ones.
Now, UNESCO will deliberate on the Italian government's proposal and make a decision by December 2025.
Italy was already awarded coveted world heritage status for the art of pizza-making back in 2017, after pizza’s birthplace Naples made the bid and over two million people supported it. The status recognised the unique cultural and gastronomic traditions pizza-making passed on from generation to generation in the southern Italian city.
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