\u201cItaly\u2019s engagement for the safeguarding of cultural heritage isn\u2019t limited to cultural, monumental, architectural and natural properties. It also includes the most representative elements of our country\u2019s traditions, which are the fruit of \u00a0its genius and creativity.\u201d, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs\u00a0Angelino Alfano\u00a0thus commented the inscription of the\u00a0Art of Neapolitan Pizzaiuolo, whose tradition is passed down from one generation to the other, on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Many thanks to the 2 million Italians who signed the\u00a0<\/strong>#pizzaUnesco petition and contributed to this important result.\u00a0\u00ab\u00a0UNESCO has recognized the cultural and social dimension of this traditional\u00a0savoir-faire<\/i>, which brings to the world one of the most healthy and fulfilling specialties, capable of bringing people together notwithstanding social, economic and cultural gaps, as well as an Italian word that can convey\u00a0emotions without need for translation\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n This important result was reached during the\u00a0yearly meeting of the Committee for the Safeguarding of Cultural Intangible Heritage which takes place\u00a0on the island of Jeju in the Republic of Korea. It also comes right after the \u201cWeek of \u00a0Italian Cuisine\u201d in the world, with a whole range events promoting Italy\u2019s wine and food traditions at the international level as key examples of our culture and of Italy\u2019s trademark.<\/p>\n \u00ab\u00a0The key features of Naples\u2019 pizza – quality, identity, land, biodiversity, culture, sustainability – are the same of\u00a0 Expo Milano 2017 – recalled Minister Alfano – They are the symbol of Italy\u2019s excellency in the world and of our professionalism in a sector which makes our country famous all around the world\u00bb.<\/p>\n This important success for Italy\u2019s cultural diplomacy adds up to the numerous results obtained at UNESCO over the past year\u00a0; our election as Chair of the 39th General Conference of UNESCO for 2017-2019 and to the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict\u00a0; the implementation of the Strategy for Reinforcing UNESCO\u2019s action for the Safeguarding of Heritage and the Promotion of Cultural Pluralism, promoted by Italy\u00a0; the inscription of 4 Italian cities to the Creative Cities Network \u00a0(Alba, for gastronomy, Carrara, for craftsmanship, Milan, for literature and Pesaro, for music), and\u00a0of the Venetian works of defense and of the ancient beech forests in the World Heritage List.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n