Overview
- The Intergovernmental Committee meeting in New Delhi on 10 December approved the inscription, the first time an entire national cuisine has entered UNESCO’s intangible heritage list and Italy’s 21st entry.
- UNESCO’s citation emphasizes communal cooking and dining, respect for ingredients, seasonality and anti-waste traditions, and it does not single out specific dishes.
- Italy’s bid, launched in 2023, was prepared by Pier Luigi Petrillo with Fondazione Casa Artusi, the Accademia Italiana della Cucina and La Cucina Italiana, supported by the culture and agriculture ministries.
- Rome marked the decision with public celebrations including a Colosseum light and sound show, while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and senior ministers welcomed the move and President Sergio Mattarella voiced satisfaction.
- Officials and industry groups forecast gains for tourism and exports and say the status will bolster efforts against imitation products, citing projections of up to an 8% tourism increase and an Italian-sounding market worth roughly €100–€120 billion annually.