Il Italian espresso coffee it could become soon UNESCO heritage. To announce the candidacy of coffee a UNESCO World Heritage Site ( "The Italian espresso coffee between culture, ritual, sociability and literature in the emblematic communities from Venice to Naples") was the Undersecretary for Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies, Gian Marco Centinaio. "The approval by the Mipaaf - clarified Centinaio - was unanimous and will soon be transmitted to the Italian National Commission for Unesco. This will then have to approve it and transmit it by March 31 in Paris". Although coffee is a globally consumed product, the express is a Italian symbol recognized all over the world, just like the Mediterranean diet or the pizza (the art of Neapolitan pizza makers) which became UNESCO intangible heritage of humanity in 2010 and 2017 respectively.
UNESCO World Heritage Coffee: Naples or Trieste?
When one thinks of coffee, the thought instinctively goes to Napoli. However also Trieste had proposed his candidacy for coffee as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This gave rise to a "social diatribe", which also involved the governor of Campania, Vincenzo De Luca. During a live broadcast Facebook last May, the governor had sent a message to his "friends from Trieste". "Trieste - said De Luca - it is in our heart, it is Italy, but coffee in the world is Naples»(Referring not to the espresso drink, but to the art of coffee).
The response from Trieste was not long in coming, at the hands of the senator from Trieste Tatjana Rojc: "I am sure that President De Luca would appreciate the variety and goodness of Trieste coffee no less than the Neapolitan one. It is certainly no coincidence that the claim of authorship of the Italian espresso found among its first and most convinced promoters in Trieste, where the affection for the friends of Naples is great. But the history of the port city where coffee bags have been stacked since the time of Maria Theresa, the excellence of historical brands, the art of roasters, the constantly evolving technology are part of the identity of Trieste.». Social diatribe aside, in recent months we have come to propose a unified candidacy that has made everyone agree. Espresso coffee is considered an Italian pride, from Sicily to the Alps.
An all-Italian social ritual
According to the data Coldiretti, Italians consume approx 30 million coffees a day between bars, public places and restaurants. To these we must also add the cups consumed at home. In fact, coffee is not just a drink to be consumed frugally at a bar counter or in the morning for breakfast. It is a real one social rite, beloved by Italians. As undersecretary Centinaio underlined again: "In Italy, coffee is much more than a simple drink: it is a real ritual. It is an integral part of our national identity and is an expression of our sociality that distinguishes us in the world". In the last two years, the coffee ritual (consumed or "suspended”) Was put on stand-by by the pandemic da Covid-19. However, it always remains a supporting pillar of the Italian spirit, which deserves to become an intangible heritage of humanity by UNESCO.
