One of the symbols of Italian gastronomy has been included in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage alongside other cultural treasures.
The ad hoc committee of UNESCO convened on the South Korean island of Jeju to review 34 requests for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This list, created in 2003, already included 365 entries, including traditions, various art forms, or celebrations, such as Spanish flamenco or Indonesian batik.
This inscription is symbolic for Italy, but it provides a certain visibility and shows that the efforts of the advocates of the Neapolitan pizza art have paid off. Beyond the gestural skills, it is a “culinary know-how” that combines “songs, smiles, technique, spectacle” and dates back to the 16th century, as highlighted in the Italian candidacy dossier.
“Victory!” tweeted Maurizio Martina, the Italian Minister of Agriculture. He welcomed “a new step for the protection of Italy’s gastronomic and wine heritage.”
Pecoraro Scano, a former Minister of Agriculture present at Jeju, added on the social network: “Long live the art of the Neapolitan pizza maker!”
According to Sergio Miccù, president of the association of Neapolitan pizzaioli, two million people had signed a “global petition” to support its inscription.
