(Adnkronos) – Foreign minister Antoino Tajani on Wednesday led applause after a Unesco panel in New Delhi awarded Italian cooking formal recognition as a cultural treasure.
“Italian cuisine is considered inclusive, as it transcends cultural and generational barriers,” said a foreign ministry statement ahead of Tajani’s three-day visit to India aimed at strengthening political and trade ties.
“Furthermore, its principles such as combating food waste and reducing resource consumption makes it a model of environmental sustainability,” the foreign ministry statement continued.
“Unesco’s decision would also represent recognition of the know-how and export capabilities of our agricultural businesses, which are true ambassadors not for food but for Italian society in the word,” the statement said.
The Unesco Intangible Heritage List has previously recognised 788 items from 150 countries, among them 19 from Italy, including Italian opera singing and truffle hunting.
Unesco recognition of Italian cuisine could boost tourism by up to 8% in two years, according to industry groups.
