Agriculture & Food Sovereignty Minister Francesco Lollobrigida pushing Italy food UNESCO bid in NYC

Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Minister Francesco Lollobrigida on Saturday made the case for Italy's bid for UNESCO status for its food in New York, Azernews reports, citing ANSA.

Speaking at an event celebrating the bid organized by ICE Agenzia foreign trade agency at Gotham Hall, Lollobrigida said "there is a commitment and a will to certify our heritage made up of production, and transformation, which make Italian cuisine a treasure".

He said he hoped Italian food would make the list of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage joining Japanese, French and Mexican cuisine on the roll of honour.

"This will certify that it is a heritage that deserves to be defended, safeguarded and valorized".

Premier Giorgia Meloni's government has launched a drive to protect and boost Italian food products and cuisine worldwide, safeguarding them from an unending assault from 'Italian-sounding' inferior clones, among other things.