Roots, identity and conviviality: Reggio delegations celebrate UNESCO

Roots, identity and conviviality: Reggio delegations celebrate UNESCO recognition for Italian cuisine

Delegations from the province of Reggio Calabria affiliated with the Accademia Italiana della Cucina took an active role in the special Ecumenical Convivial dedicated to the UNESCO recognition of Italian cuisine as intangible cultural heritage. The event focused beyond recipes to the wider cultural system surrounding the table: practices, family relations and collective memory.

Meeting objectives

• Raise awareness of the cultural value of Calabrian and Italian cuisine;
• Support intergenerational transmission of culinary knowledge;
• Connect intangible heritage protection with sustainable territorial development.

Reggio delegations involved

• Reggio Calabria Delegation — Delegate Giuseppe Alvaro
• Area dello Stretto – Costa Viola Delegation — Delegate Sandro Borruto
• Area Grecanica – Terra del Bergamotto Delegation — Delegate Paolo Chirico
• Gioia Tauro – Piana degli Ulivi Delegation — Delegate Ettore Tigani
• Locride – Costa dei Gelsomini Delegation — Delegate Giuseppe Ventra

Coordinated by Dr. Rosario (Sarino) Branda, the delegations emphasized that Calabrian cuisine is a living intangible heritage, based on sustainable practices, community bonds and the use of local products such as bergamot. This broader approach frames gastronomy within anthropological and social contexts.

Speakers and key points

• Prof. Ottavio Cavalcanti, Director of the Territorial Study Center of the Academy: the need to safeguard traditional knowledge against global homogenization.
• Prefect of Cosenza, Dr. Rosa Maria Padovano: the role of institutions in protecting intangible heritage and promoting territorial identities.

The discussion produced a shared perspective: UNESCO recognition is an opportunity to promote the Civility of the Table as a driver for cultural development, social cohesion and territorial promotion. The province of Reggio Calabria remains a crossroads of tradition and innovation, where initiatives can foster sustainable practices and the diffusion of culinary knowledge.

The Accademia Italiana della Cucina reaffirms its commitment to preserving and transmitting gastronomic traditions, strengthening the connection between local identities and international recognition.