Italy’s Cuisine Is Now a UNESCO Treasure

Occasionally on the weekends, we tend to order food and eat it in our homes. Oftentimes, it is either pasta, pizza or even garlic bread from our favorite places to dine. But, what if I told you that the country of these very dishes was recently recognized by UNESCO for being inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list? Not only this, but Italy was the first country in the world to be recognized for not only its food, but for its entire culture? 

In December 2025, New Delhi at the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee, Italy’s entire national cuisine was recognized by UNESCO, being a first for any country. Other than this, Italy has conducted and taken part in many initiatives relating to cultural awareness and scientific progress through and in collaboration with UNESCO! 

In order to show the cultural significance and importance of Italy, as well as its customs and traditions, this recognition was created and enforced in order to show the world how important the Italian culture is to the world, famously under the title “Italian cuisine, between sustainability and biocultural diversity”, showing how not only the food, but also the sharing of knowledge between and across generations as well as the rituals and festive traditions allowed for the cultural and scientific progress of the country. 

If you want to read up on Italy in UNESCO, click the links below!

https://delegazioneunesco.esteri.it/en/litalia-e-lunesco/#:~:text=Recently%2C%20sport%20and%20anti%2Ddoping,National%20Research%20Council%20%E2%80%93%20CNR).&text=The%20Venice%20Regional%20Office%20is,most%20important%20areas%20of%20intervention.

https://abhipedia.abhimanu.com/Article/1060/NTU4MTgw/UNESCO-Recognises-Italian-Cuisine-as-First-National-Culinary-Heritage-on-International-Affairs-for-IBPS-PO-SO-#:~:text=International%20Affairs,-Current%20GK%20(IBPS&text=Italy%20has%20become%20the%20first,influence%20of%20Italian%20culinary%20heritage.

https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1446#:~:text=News-,UNESCO%20and%20Italy%20sign%20agreement%20establishing%20a%20centre,heritage%2C%20cultural%20policies%20and%20development&text=Irina%20Bokova%2C%20the%20Director%2DGeneral,Rome%20on%2016%20February%202016.