Italian cuisine gets green light from UNESCO to become Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Italy is one step closer to gaining UNESCO recognition for Italian cuisine after the United Nations' cultural body gave an initial approval for the bid.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization made public its technical assessment of the Italian cuisine nomination dossier on Monday. They recommended that Italian cuisine be inscribed in the UN body's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, following a joint proposal from the Italian ministries of culture and agriculture.

The final decision by the UN agency's intergovernmental committee is expected next month.

''It is wonderful to see the interest with which the recognition of Italian cuisine as a UNESCO heritage site is being followed,” commented the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida.

He did, however, urge people to wait until “10 December” to get excited.

"We have nominated a great tradition, something that distinguishes us, but we have not yet crossed this great and well-deserved finishing line,'' he added.

Pier Luigi Petrillo, a professor at Luiss Guido Carli in Rome, edited the candidacy dossier, and also expressed similar reservations.

“The technical evaluation published today tells us that the dossier is well done,” he pointed out to the ANSA news agency. “This first 'yes' should not create illusions because the Intergovernmental Committee that will meet in India in December has the possibility of completely reviewing the decision.”

Italy already boasts several elements on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, including the art of the Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’ (2017), the art of glass beads (2020), the practice of opera singing (2023) and manual bell ringing (2024).

The UNESCO committee will meet in New Delhi, India, from 8 to 13 December.