Italy proposes to UNESCO the candidacy of Rite of traditional Italian Espresso Coffee in Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In fact, today at the Mipaaf the investigation of the candidate proposals to be presented to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization concluded.
Italy's proposal refers to the ritual of traditional Italian espresso coffee as a real art, but in itselfin order, the proposal of the Culture of Neapolitan coffee was also put forward, a reality between ritual and sociality.
The decision of the UNESCO working group of the Mipaaf was taken unanimously. The priority for the Rite of traditional Italian espresso coffee, with the constituent elements of the dossier being equal, was determined - they specify to Mipaaf - by the presentation of the relative proposed in early 2019 while qThe culture of Neapolitan espresso coffee was presented in the middle of last year.
The deadline for submitting nominations to UNESCO is set for 31 March, after which the word passes to UNESCO which will be called upon to pronounce on the proposals put forward by the various countries.
Coffee is much more than a habit, it's a gesture, a moment of sharing. “It's not just a drink – reads one note from the Campania Region drawn up in recent days in support of the candidacy of the Neapolitan coffee - but expresses a real culture, an all-Neapolitan rite that has given rise to traditions that are widespread everywhere, such as that of suspended coffee that evokes the sense of hospitality, solidarity and convivialityto". Concepts elaborated in a voluminous dossier drawn up by a group of expert university professors, anthropologists and jurists, to summarize "this dimension that tells the identity value of the coffee culture, for Neapolitans, Campania, and all Italians".
The candidacy dossier, drawn up by the group of experts, university professors and jurists was presented and signed by the President of the Region Vincenzo De Luca.
The other candidacy, that of the Rite (Art) of Traditional Italian Espresso Coffee, was supported by the Consortium for the Protection of Traditional Italian Espresso Coffee, which involves almost all of the Italian roasting companies, with the aim of promoting, enhancing and protecting the traditional espresso through recognition of its cultural uniqueness.
In 2020 – underlines Alessandro Bianchin, President of the GITC, Gruppo Italiano Torrefattori Caffè – the sector created a export turnover of 1.3 million euros compared to 1.4 million euros in 2019 (Istat data), with a number of employees equal to 10.187 (source Unioncamere-Infocamere).
The candidacy of the Italian Espresso, he adds, represents “a glimmer of hope which gives lifeblood to a supply chain brought to its knees by the economic crisis, but which keeps its roots firmly tied to a past of all-Italian tradition” .
