The city of Naples, often in headlines for its garbage woes and mafia violence, is celebrating international recognition of its tastier side.
UNESCO on Thursday added the art of the Neapolitan pizza maker, or pizzaiuolo, to its list of “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.”
Neapolitan pizza making was one of 33 traditional practices from around the world that were added to the UN cultural organization’s list of “forms of expression” that are of importance to humanity.
Photo: EPA
Other practices were the ritual Kumbh Mela baths taken in India, Bosnian woodcarving, and the Sega tambour dance and the song performances of Mauritius’ Rodrigues Island.
In Naples, pizza makers celebrated the victory and plan to give away free pizzas next week at a massive street party.
Italian Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies Maurizio Martina said Italy’s campaign, launched in 2009, marked the first time UNESCO had recognized a profession linked to food production.
The art of Neapolitan pizza making “involves Italian know-how based on experience, gestures and traditional knowledge passed on from generation to generation,” Martina said a statement.
Italy is already the nation with the most UNESCO world heritage sites at 53, including the historic centers of Rome, Naples and Florence, the entire lagoon city of Venice and the Amalfi Coast.
With the pizza makers, Italy now counts six cultural practices on the “intangible cultural heritage” list, including the “Mediterranean diet” and Cremona’s violin making.
Being added to the list involves obligations, primarily to safeguard the practice.
Massimo Boddi, whose Univerde Foundation was responsible for gathering signatures to launch the pizza bid, said the recognition was an important victory of “tradition over globalization” since each pizza is made by hand, individually.
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