It is with pride and love that I share this message on Italian cuisine, officially recognised by Unesco as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
It is the first cuisine in the world to be acknowledged in its entirety, not just for a single dish.
The unanimous decision was taken by Unesco’s Intergovernmental Committee in New Delhi on December 10.
According to the resolution, Italian cuisine is a ‘cultural and social blend of culinary traditions’, a way to care for oneself and others, to express love, rediscover roots, and share history.
This recognition adds to Italy’s previous honours in agri-food heritage: truffle hunting and extraction (2021), the Art of Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’ (2017), the cultivation of ‘vite ad alberello’ in Pantelleria (2014), and the Mediterranean Diet (2013, shared with Cyprus, Croatia, Greece, Morocco, Portugal, and Spain).
Such achievements are the result of teamwork.
Italian consumers, restaurateurs, chefs, distributors, and our diplomatic network all contribute to preserving excellence against counterfeits known as ‘Italian Sounding’.
At the heart of this team are producers, guardians of tradition and biodiversity, committed to sustainability. Italy prohibits GMO production, and our excellence generates €70 billion in agri-food exports, making us Europe’s leader in agricultural added value.
Research also plays a vital role, from packaging innovations to fighting food waste, even developing cuisine for space missions – pre-rehydrated pasta and stabilised sauces that retain flavour through advanced preservation techniques.
Yet the symbolic captain of this triumph is the grandmother.
Italian cuisine is excellence in raw materials, but above all, love in cooking for others. Who among us does not recall grandmothers rolling out pasta – tagliatelle, gnocchi, orecchiette, tortellini, ravioli, strozzapreti – and asking, “Have you eaten?” Cuisine in Italy is not only nourishment; it is tradition, memory, storytelling, and togetherness around the family table.
Equally important is protecting authentically Made in Italy products.
The spread of ‘Italian Sounding’ items – those that mimic Italian identity through names or imagery but lack any real connection – threatens our heritage.
These imitations exploit reputation without respecting raw materials or tradition.
Choosing authentic products safeguards quality, supports communities, and defends cultural identity. Consumers must verify origins, look for the ‘Made in Italy’ label, and rely on certified retailers.
Every purchase sustains artisans and families who keep alive a tradition admired worldwide. Combating Italian Sounding means defending history, biodiversity and the unique value of our cuisine.
Italian cuisine’s success reflects regional, local, family and international contributions, shaped by Mediterranean exchanges, Arab influences and Italians abroad.
This richness was highlighted in the exhibition ‘Stories of Roots’ during the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World.
The Embassy of Italy in Bahrain has also played a role, intensifying initiatives to promote our gastronomic tradition and raise awareness against Italian Sounding, products manufactured elsewhere and wrongfully labeled Italian, thus appropriating a legitimacy of quality they do not deserve.
Through cultural events, workshops, tastings and collaborations with Italian and Bahraini chefs, the Embassy has built a bridge between communities, focusing on certified quality and culinary heritage.
The annual Week of Italian Cuisine in the World showcases regional excellence, innovations in agri-food research, and producer stories.
These events supported the Unesco candidacy, explaining the cultural and social value of Italian cuisine, and helped grow a Bahraini community attentive and respectful of authenticity.
Today’s recognition is not only a victory for Italian cuisine but for the entire Italian people – their culture, history, and evolution.
It is a commitment to protect and celebrate what makes us unique.
For our Bahraini friends, and all friends worldwide in the Kingdom of the Two Seas, this is one more reason to continue choosing, enjoying, and loving Italian cuisine.
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