Italy first country to win Unesco recognition for national cuisine | Italy

Unesco has officially recognised Italian cooking as a cultural beacon, an endorsement hailed by the far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, whose government has put the country’s food at the heart of its nationalistic expression of identity.

The announcement, made on Wednesday during the UN cultural body’s assembly in Delhi, means Italian cuisine – from pasta and mozzarella to wine and tiramisu – will be inscribed on the coveted list of “intangible cultural heritage”.

Italy already boasts 21 other traditions on the list, including the art of Neapolitan pizza making and opera singing, and it is the first country to be recognised for its cuisine in its entirety rather than for a single tradition or recipe.

In a video message posted on her Instagram account within minutes of the announcement, Meloni said the news filled her with pride. “We are the first in the world to receive this recognition, which honours who we are and our identity,” she said. “For us Italians, cuisine is more than just food or a collection of recipes. It’s much more than that: it’s culture, tradition, work and wealth.”

Meloni’s government got to work in pursuing the Unesco recognition soon after coming to power in October 2022, formally submitting its bid five months later. The bid emphasised the links between traditional Italian food, culture and lifestyle, describing it as a convivial social ritual that brings families and communities together.

The promotional campaign included an open-air Sunday lunch attended by Meloni and other government officials and their families at the Roman Forum in the Italian capital in September.

In its announcement, Unesco described Italian cuisine as a “cultural and social blend of culinary traditions” and a way of “caring for oneself and others, expressing love and rediscovering one’s cultural roots” while offering communities an outlet “to share their history and describe the world around them”.

It added: “It is a communal activity that emphasises intimacy with food, respect for ingredients and shared moments around the table … People of all ages and genders participate, exchanging recipes, suggestions and stories, with grandparents often passing down traditional dishes to their grandchildren.”

Italy’s agriculture minister, Francesco Lollobrigida, who often decries any tinkering with Italian food classics, said the victory was “a celebration that belongs to everyone because it speaks to our roots, our creativity and our ability to transform tradition into reality”.

Meanwhile, a report published by Rome’s Sapienza University on Wednesday said Unesco world heritage recognition of various Italian locations and traditions, including the prosecco hills in Veneto and the Sicilian island of Pantelleria, known for its bush vine cultivation, had worked wonders for tourism and that now Italian cuisine was on the list, more visitors were expected.