Barilla Celebrates Italian Cuisine As UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Barilla celebrates the recognition of Italian cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO: a milestone that fully reflects the company's commitment to bringing the values, flavors, and lifestyle of Italian cuisine to the world. The company reaffirms its role as a global ambassador for Italian cuisine and will be present at the UNCA Awards on December 12 in New York to support the values of the United Nations.

PARMA, Italy, Dec. 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Barilla proudly welcomes the official announcement from UNESCO, which today recognized Italian cuisine as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This historic achievement celebrates the Italian gastronomic tradition as an expression of creativity, conviviality, and cultural identity, fully aligning with Barilla's commitment to bringing the values, flavors, and lifestyle of Italian cuisine to the world.

BARILLA, A GLOBAL AMBASSADOR FOR ITALIAN CUISINE

For over 148 years, Barilla has brought the quality and craftsmanship of Italian cuisine to the tables of over 100 countries. This commitment stems from a desire to be close to people, not only through the production of pasta and iconic Made in Italy products but also by sharing the richness of Italian food culture.

Among the initiatives that have contributed to advancing the candidacy of Italian cuisine for UNESCO recognition, Barilla sent pasta into space: thanks to a collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Air Force, and Axiom Space, about 3 kilograms of Barilla fusilli were sent aboard the Ax-3 mission to the International Space Station, marking the first "extraterrestrial" taste test of Italian pasta.

Additionally, in 2024, the company played a key role at the G7 Agriculture in Ortigia, with its Mobile Emergency Kitchen and an official lunch for the ministerial delegations to promote candidacy. The Group also supported the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Forestry and Minister Francesco Lollobrigida at the gala dinner organized by ICE Agency at Gotham Hall in New York, during the Summer Fancy Food Show, dedicated to the international promotion of Italian cuisine.

Barilla continues to celebrate Italian cuisine through its cultural excellence center, Academia Barilla in Parma, where chefs, experts, and scholars promote Italian gastronomic traditions, the Mediterranean Diet, and sustainable cooking practices, combining training, research, and innovation. To complete the company's institutional contribution to the UNESCO process, representatives from Academia Barilla took part in the informal hearing at the Italian Senate dedicated to the candidacy.

BARILLA AT THE UNCA AWARDS 2025: A SHARED COMMITMENT FOR A FAIRER FUTURE

On the occasion of this important recognition, Barilla reaffirms its presence at the 29th edition of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) Awards, an event organized by the association representing the United Nations press corps, which each year honors journalists and prominent figures who stand out for their efforts to document the work and activities of UN agencies. The ceremony, scheduled for Friday, December 12, in New York, will bring together 400 guests, including journalists from around the world and key institutional figures, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. This year, special awards will be presented, including the Global Citizen of the Year to Javier Bardem and the Global Advocate of the Year to Massimo Bottura, recognizing the efforts of prominent individuals in promoting the values of the United Nations. As the event sponsor, Barilla will honor all guests with a pack of Barilla Al Bronzo pasta, a symbol of Italian excellence and, at the same time, a simple and universal food loved in all cultures, nutritionally balanced, accessible, and sustainable.

About Barilla Group:    

Barilla is a family business, not listed on the Stock Exchange, chaired by the brothers Guido, Luca and Paolo Barilla. It was founded by their great-grandfather Pietro Barilla, who opened a bakery in Parma in 1877. Today, Barilla is renowned in Italy and around the world for the quality of its food products. With its brands – Barilla, Mulino Bianco, Pan di Stelle, Gran Cereale, Harrys, Pavesi, Wasa, Filiz, Yemina, Misko, Voiello, Academia Barilla, First, Catelli, Lancia, Splendor, Back To Nature and Pasta Evangelists – it advocates tasty, hearty and wholesome nutrition, inspired by the Mediterranean Diet and the Italian lifestyle.   

When Pietro opened his shop over 145 years ago, the main aim was to make good food. That principle has now become the Barilla way of doing business, with almost 9,000 people working for the company and a supply chain that shares its values and passion for quality.   

The Group's commitment is to offer people the joy that good, well-made food can bring them, produced with selected ingredients favouring those from responsible supply chains, to contribute to a better present and future.   

Since 1987, a historical archive has been collecting and preserving the company's over 145-year history, now a resource open to all via the portal-museum www.archiviostoricobarilla.com. For further information, visit: www.barillagroup.com; Twitter: @barillagroup; LinkedIn: Barilla Group; Instagram: @barillapeople.   

For further information contact:     

Media Contacts:   

Amanda Morales

Amanda.morales@barilla.com 

Kyle Sharick   

kyle.sharick@edelman.com  

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SOURCE Barilla America, Inc.