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Media Review | Italian Cooking, between Sustainability and Biocultural Diversity: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Italian Cooking, between sustainability and biocultural diversity, has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2025. The nomination, submitted by Italy in March 2023, highlights Italian cooking not as a fixed set of recipes, but as a living cultural practice rooted in communities, family transmission, local knowledge, seasonality, conviviality, sustainability and biocultural diversity.
The media coverage collected below documents the public debate surrounding the nomination process, from the first positive technical evaluation published by UNESCO in November 2025 to the broader discussion on the cultural, social and identity value of Italian cooking. Several articles also refer to the contribution of Professor Pier Luigi Petrillo, Chair Holder of the UNESCO Chair on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Comparative Law at UnitelmaSapienza University of Rome, who contributed to the nomination process.
This page gathers a selection of articles, interviews and media resources dedicated to the recognition of Italian cooking as intangible cultural heritage.
Official UNESCO sources
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
“Italian cooking, between sustainability and biocultural diversity”
Official UNESCO page dedicated to the inscription of Italian cooking on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
“Decision of the Intergovernmental Committee: 20.COM 7.B.27”
Official UNESCO decision inscribing Italian cooking, between sustainability and biocultural diversity, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Media coverage
Euronews
“La cucina italiana ottiene primo sì dall’Unesco per diventare Patrimonio immateriale dell’Umanità”
Euronews reports on UNESCO’s first positive technical evaluation of the nomination and explains the next steps of the process towards inscription.
Il Giornale
“La cucina italiana sorride: primo sì all’inserimento tra i patrimoni dell’umanità”
The article presents the positive technical evaluation of the nomination and highlights the cultural value of Italian cooking within the UNESCO framework.
ANSA
“Dall’Unesco primo sì a cucina italiana patrimonio umanità”
The Italian press agency reports on the first positive technical opinion issued by UNESCO experts and on the final decision expected in New Delhi.
La Repubblica
“Dall’Unesco un primo sì alla cucina italiana patrimonio dell’umanità”
La Repubblica covers the first technical approval of the nomination and frames Italian cooking as a cultural practice linked to identity, transmission and community life.
Fanpage
“La cucina italiana potrebbe diventare Patrimonio dell’umanità: cosa significa”
Fanpage explains the meaning of UNESCO intangible cultural heritage recognition for a wider audience and discusses the nomination of Italian cooking.
Quotidiano.net
“Cucina italiana patrimonio dell’umanità, primo sì dell’Unesco. A dicembre la decisione finale”
The article explains the first technical step of the UNESCO process and includes comments on the role of the nomination dossier.
RaiNews
“Unesco, primo sì alla cucina italiana come patrimonio dell’umanità”
RaiNews reports on the first positive evaluation of the dossier and includes the perspective of Professor Pier Luigi Petrillo on the meaning of the technical approval.
Sky TG24
“Cucina italiana patrimonio dell’umanità: arriva primo sì dall’Unesco”
Sky TG24 presents the positive technical evaluation and explains how Italian cooking could become the first national cuisine to receive UNESCO recognition as a whole.
Rai 1 – Uno Mattina
“Cucina italiana patrimonio dell’umanità, primo sì dell’Unesco”
Rai 1’s Uno Mattina hosted a segment on the UNESCO nomination, with Professor Pier Luigi Petrillo discussing the meaning and possible impact of the recognition.
ONU Italia
“Dall’Unesco primo sì a cucina italiana patrimonio umanità”
ONU Italia reports on the first positive technical evaluation and on the expected final decision of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee.
QuiFinanza
“Cucina italiana patrimonio UNESCO dell’umanità”
QuiFinanza covers the economic, cultural and symbolic relevance of the UNESCO process for Italian cooking and Made in Italy.
Food Affairs
“Arriva il primo sì dell’UNESCO alla cucina italiana patrimonio dell’umanità”
Food Affairs reports on the positive technical assessment and presents the nomination as a major step for Italian food culture.
L’Espresso
“L’Unesco dice il primo sì: la cucina italiana verso il patrimonio dell’umanità”
L’Espresso discusses the preliminary UNESCO approval and frames the nomination as a recognition of Italian cooking as a living and shared cultural practice.
Italia a Tavola
“Primo sì UNESCO: cucina italiana come patrimonio dell’umanità”
Italia a Tavola reports on the positive technical evaluation and highlights the importance of Italian cooking for identity, tourism and cultural transmission.
Corriere Cook
“Cucina italiana patrimonio UNESCO”
Corriere Cook covers the path of Italian cooking towards UNESCO recognition and its significance for the cultural interpretation of food practices.
La Sicilia
“Primo via libera dell’UNESCO alla cucina italiana verso il riconoscimento come patrimonio dell’umanità”
La Sicilia reports on the first positive evaluation and explains the nomination process ahead of the final decision.
Il Trafiletto
“La cucina italiana a un passo dal titolo di patrimonio dell’umanità”
The article presents the UNESCO technical approval as a decisive step in the recognition process for Italian cooking.
Leggo
“UNESCO, cucina italiana patrimonio dell’umanità”
Leggo provides a public-facing account of the UNESCO process and the possible recognition of Italian cooking as intangible cultural heritage.
Italia Report USA
“Cucina italiana patrimonio UNESCO: arriva il primo sì”
The article reports on the first positive UNESCO evaluation and presents the nomination as a significant step for Italian culture abroad.
Cookist
“Primo sì per la candidatura della cucina italiana a patrimonio immateriale dell’UNESCO”
Cookist explains the UNESCO nomination process and presents Italian cooking as a cultural heritage connected to practices, communities and transmission.
Il Resto del Carlino
“Cucina italiana patrimonio UNESCO”
The article focuses on the connection between Italian cooking, cultural identity and the role of Casa Artusi in the broader heritage debate.
InItalia – Virgilio
“Cucina italiana patrimonio umanità UNESCO: primo sì”
InItalia reports on the first positive UNESCO evaluation and presents the nomination as a major step for the international recognition of Italian cooking.
San Marino RTV
“Cucina italiana patrimonio umanità, primo sì dall’UNESCO”
San Marino RTV covers the first positive evaluation and the next institutional step towards the final UNESCO decision.
StrettoWeb
“Cucina italiana verso l’UNESCO, arriva il via libera tecnico: ecco cosa succede ora”
StrettoWeb explains the technical green light and the following procedural steps within the UNESCO nomination process.
Il Giornale d’Italia
“Cucina italiana patrimonio dell’umanità, dall’UNESCO primo sì”
Il Giornale d’Italia reports on the positive technical approval and the final political decision expected at the UNESCO Committee in New Delhi.
Calabria Diretta News
“Cucina italiana in lizza per il patrimonio UNESCO, arriva il primo sì tecnico”
The article reports on the first technical green light and presents the UNESCO process in a concise news format.
PressReader – La Verità
“Cucina italiana patrimonio dell’umanità”
PressReader hosts the press clipping from La Verità on the UNESCO process and the first positive evaluation.
Lettera43
“Cucina italiana patrimonio UNESCO: tappe, iter e decisione finale”
Lettera43 explains the stages of the UNESCO process and the timeline leading to the final decision.
Newsroom24
“Cucina italiana patrimonio dell’umanità, l’UNESCO dà il primo ok”
Newsroom24 reports on the first positive UNESCO opinion and the significance of the nomination for Italian cooking.
L’Unione Sarda
“Italian cuisine, a world heritage site: UNESCO’s first approval”
The English-language article reports on UNESCO’s first approval and presents the Italian cooking nomination to an international audience.
The articles, interviews and media resources listed on this page are hosted on external websites. They are shared here for informational and documentation purposes as part of a thematic media review on the UNESCO inscription process of Italian Cooking, between sustainability and biocultural diversity, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.