Alpine food nominated for UNESCO safeguarding register: Italy

Alpine food nominated for UNESCO safeguarding register: Italy, Switzerland, France and Slovenia collaborate

On 12 April 2026 a multinational nomination was announced to include Alpine food in the UNESCO Register of Good Safeguarding Practices. The project focuses on mountain communities and the traditional culinary practices that define the Alpine cultural landscape.

The cross-border initiative aims to record and support local knowledge and activities, preserving a network of skills tied to the territory and seasonal cycles.

• Key elements: foraging, transhumance, traditional cheesemaking techniques, Alpine farming and local exchange networks.
• Goals: intergenerational transmission of practices, environmental sustainability and strengthening of Alpine communities.
• Geographic scope: mountain areas across Italy, Switzerland, France and Slovenia.

For visitors, this recognition may increase visibility of food trails, farmers' markets, mountain museums and community-led experiences. The nomination seeks to protect not only individual products but an entire cultural system rooted in the Alpine environment.

If you want to discover the gastronomic heritage of the Italian Alps, look for local events, guided visits to traditional dairies and seasonal markets: these are the best opportunities to experience the practices that the nomination aims to safeguard.