Italian cooking gets UNESCO intangible cultural heritage tag

The UNESCO on Wednesday inscribed "Italian cooking" on its intangible cultural heritage list, a recognition that was witnessed in Delhi by the country's Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, who is currently visiting India. The decision was taken during a key UNESCO meeting hosted at the Red Fort. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in a video posted on X, hailed the inscription.UNESCO emphasized that Italian cooking "promotes social inclusion" by "promoting well-being and offering a channel for lifelong intergenerational learning, strengthening bonds, encouraging sharing, and promoting a sense of belonging."

BREAKING

New inscription on the #IntangibleHeritage List: Italian cooking, between sustainability and biocultural diversity, #Italy????????.

Congratulations!https://t.co/xoL14QjPPR #LivingHeritage pic.twitter.com/2iY86Obn3n

— UNESCO #Education #Sciences #Culture ???????? (@UNESCO) December 10, 2025

Italian cuisine encompasses a vast array of regional fare steeped in cultural significance, from the famed wine regions that span Tuscany to Veneto or historically significant dishes such as pasta carbonara from Rome or pizza Napoletana from Campania. The decision was announced by UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee, which assembled at a meeting in New Delhi this week. Italy was among 60 applicants from 56 countries up for consideration for the selection. The art of the Neapolitan "Pizzaiuolo" -- a four-phase preparation and culinary practice for wood-fired pizza -- was previously added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2017.

According to ANSA, with this recent cuisine inclusion, Italy has set a world record, with nine recognitions in the agri-food sector in proportion to its 21 total traditions included on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Other agri-food entries on the list include transhumance ("the seasonal movement of people with their livestock between geographical or climatic regions," according to UNESCO), the art of dry stone construction, the cultivation of the Zibibbo di Pantelleria vine, the Mediterranean diet, truffle hunting, the traditional irrigation system, and Lipizzan horse breeding, per UNESCO.