With a dinner hosted by the Ambassador of Italy to the US, Mariangela Zappia, the series of over fifty events organized by Italy’s diplomatic-consular network, the Italian Cultural Institutes, and Italian Trade Agency offices in the United States began to celebrate the ninth annual Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, themed “Mediterranean Diet and Recipes from our Roots: Health and Tradition.”

Ambassador Zappia stated, “This year again, the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World represents a key moment in our strategy to promote Italy in the United States. Italian cuisine is not just food or a recipe book, but a set of social practices, habits, and gestures; it is a central element of our identity, which is why we are advocating for Italian cuisine’s recognition as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.”