The United Nations General Assembly today adopted the resolution establishing the International Mediterranean Diet Day, to be observed annually on 16 November. The initiative was promoted by Italy, which also facilitated the related negotiations, together with a group of Mediterranean countries (Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Lebanon, Morocco, Portugal, San Marino, Spain and Tunisia).
The resolution recognises the Mediterranean Diet both as a balanced and healthy dietary model and as an expression of a living cultural heritage, grounded in traditional knowledge, local practices and values of sharing, already inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The text further underlines the contribution of the Mediterranean Diet to the prevention of non-communicable diseases, the protection of biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable, resilient food systems, in line with United Nations mandates and the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Italy welcomes with particular satisfaction the adoption of the resolution, which strengthens global recognition of the Mediterranean Diet as an integrated cultural and dietary model, capable of combining health, sustainability and social cohesion.
The adoption of the resolution follows another significant international recognition for Italy in the fields of food and culture, with the inclusion of Italian cooking in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This further milestone confirms the central role of food and traditional diets as expressions of identity and tradition, as well as effective instruments for dialogue among peoples and sustainable development.
