On September 21, across towns from the north to the south of Italy, “Sunday Lunch: Italians at the Table” will take place – a national event organised to support the candidacy of Italian cuisine for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage status. It’s a celebration of connection – food, family, and tradition brought together around familiar dishes.
This initiative comes from the Ministries of Agriculture and Culture, in alliance with ANCI, the association of Italian municipalities. It will also be observed abroad – through Italian embassies in London, Paris, and New York – where communities will gather to share meals rooted in Italian culinary customs.
“This isn’t about nominating a style of cooking,” says the Minister of Agriculture, “though every regional cuisine in Italy could qualify. What we are nominating is a ritual – a ritual that begins with choosing ingredients, continues through cooking, and culminates at the table, where people still discuss what they’re eating.”
Italian cuisine, the minister adds, embodies knowledge passed down through generations – it’s shared joy, fellowship and sustaining ties among family and friends. Sunday lunch, he argues, is the highest expression of this cultural trait – something the rest of the world admires.
The Minister of Culture echoes this viewpoint. He stresses that Italian cooking reflects diverse geography, layered history, rich local ingredients, and many rituals tied to eating. Food tells Italy’s story – its civilization, society, land, and identity. It’s long been recognized worldwide – and now its heritage is being put forward with conviction and pride.
For the President of ANCI and the mayor of Naples, the message is simple yet profound – food is identity, food is bonding. No meal without sharing, no table without storytelling. Coming together to eat is a ritual that bridges generations, families, and whole communities. That’s why Sunday lunch was chosen as symbol for promoting Italian cuisine’s UNESCO candidacy.
This moment is more than gastronomy – it’s popular culture, accessible to everyone. It represents old knowledge, rooted in land and people. It plays a key role in Italy’s culture and economy.
On television, “Speciale UNESCO” will air live on RAI1’s Domenica IN. It will broadcast from town squares taking part in the celebration – among them cultural, artistic, sports, and media personalities. Abroad too, in London, Paris and New York, diplomatic quarters will host gatherings where food and tradition take center stage. For millions of Italians at home and abroad, and for all who embrace the Italian way of life, Sunday lunch is a shared heritage.
