Italian cooking gets UNESCO intangible cultural heritage tag; Dy PM witnesses moment in Delhi

The UNESCO on Wednesday inscribed Italian cooking on its intangible cultural heritage list a recognition that was witnessed in Delhi by the countrys Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani who is currently visiting IndiaThe decision was taken during a key UNESCO meeting hosted at the Red Fort hereItalian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in a video posted on microblogging site X hailed the inscriptionThis inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is titled Italian cooking Between sustainability and biocultural diversityA cultural and social blend of culinary traditions the element is associated with the use of raw materials and artisanal food preparation techniques the UNESCO said after its inscriptionVIDEO Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani served traditional dishes to guests at the Embassy of Italy in New Delhi last night celebrating the UNESCO recognition of Italyrsquos cuisine as Intangible Cultural HeritageItalianCuisine UNESCO DelhiEventsFull videohellip pictwittercomTIrUoQiZ6Cmdash Press Trust of India PTI_News December 11 2025Italian cooking is a communal activity that emphasises intimacy with food respect for ingredients and shared moments around the table it addedThe practice is rooted in antiwaste recipes and the transmission of flavours skills and memories across generations It is a means of connecting with family and the community whether at home in schools or through festivals ceremonies and social gatherings the world body said in a notePeople of all ages and genders participate exchanging recipes suggestions and stories with grandparents often passing down traditional dishes to their grandchildrenThe knowledge and skills related to the element are transmitted both informally within families and formally in schools and universities Beyond cooking practitioners view the element as a way of caring for oneself and others expressing love and rediscovering ones cultural roots the UNESCO saidThe practice thus fosters social inclusion while promoting wellbeing and offering a channel for lifelong intergenerational learning It also strengthens bonds encourages sharing and promotes a sense of belonging it saidItalian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tajani who is currently visiting India was present at the Plenary Hall when the announcement was made by UNESCO during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage being hosted by IndiaThe Italian Embassy in UK posted on X We are very proud to announce that Italys cuisine has become the first in the world to be declared intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in recognition of its power to shape lifestyle culture and identityIt also shared the video posted by Prime Minister MeloniAccording to a CNN report the UNESCO status marks the successful end to a threeyear campaign by Italys Agriculture Ministry to have the nations traditional way of growing harvesting preparing and serving food recognisedThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever