Italy currently holds the world record for UNESCO awards in the agro-food sector, holding five out of the 68 allocated globally.
The Bel Paese is followed by Morocco, with four UNESCO recognitions, Turkey and Azerbaijan with three, and two for Belgium, France, Spain, Tunisia, Japan, Korea and Mexico.
The new UNESCO report on food and culture was presented at the UN conference in New York on the future of the Mediterranean diet.
This data was presented by Pier Luigi Petrillo, president of the UNESCO body of world experts.
Regarding the UNESCO recognitions for agro-food, Petrillo said:
“Italy, from this point of view, is a world power.”
“It is a significant record. This sector has become highly challenging, especially if one considers that food is increasingly an instrument of dialogue and diplomacy. It is precisely by focusing on the cultural dimension of food, among other things, that we can beat the absurd ‘traffic light’ policy on food which is highly harmful to our typical products,” the president explained.
Speaking to the Mediterranean diet’s worldwide proliferation and recognition, Petrillo said:
“The UNESCO recognition marks an absolute turning point, now our food is being perceived by the global community not only as a product, but as a cultural phenomenon and identity and lifestyle, as a way of being.”
