UNESCO officially designated Italian cuisine as Intangible Cultural Heritage, a decision celebrated by Giorgia Meloni, Francesco Lollobrigida, and Antonio Tajani, marking the first national gastronomic style to achieve this global status.This recognition, estimating an annual economic impact of 700 billion €, emphasizes the cuisine's unique blend of community, sustainability, biodiversity, and anti-waste practices, alongside its vital intergenerational transmission of flavors.Widespread celebrations across
Italy, including cultural events in
Rome and Milan, accompanied the announcement, which officials believe will help protect authentic Italian products from "Italian sounding" imitations.