The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World is one of the longest-running initiatives promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Launched in 2016 as a legacy of Expo Milan 2015, it celebrates the excellence and diversity of Italy’s food and wine traditions.
Each edition highlights a specific theme, promoting local products and culinary traditions, the protection of geographical indications and sustainable production practices that make Italian cuisine unique.
Traditionally held during the third week of November, from 2025 onwards Embassies, Consulates, Italian Cultural Institutes and Permanent Missions, together with the Italian Trade Agency, will be able to organize activities throughout the year — adapting their calendars to local contexts and audiences.
Since its first edition, the Week has featured over 10,000 events in more than 100 countries: tastings, show-cookings, masterclasses, conferences, exhibitions and business events, with a major inaugural celebration held every year at the Farnesina.
2025 Edition
In 2025, the Week celebrates its tenth anniversary.
This milestone edition will focus on the theme “Italian Cooking: Culture, Health and Innovation.”
Italian cuisine will be presented as a mosaic of knowledge and values, where every piece tells a story about Italy’s deep connection with food.
The 10th Edition aims to:
- promote greater awareness of Italian cuisine, in the context of its candidacy for inscription on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List;
- highlight Italian cuisine as a healthy, balanced and sustainable model, and a valuable ally in preventing non-communicable diseases;
- showcase the innovation and research driving Italy’s agri-food chain — from production to processing, packaging, distribution, consumption, reuse and recycling.
To support the event’s international promotion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation develops each year a range of projects and communication materials. These are created in collaboration with selected partners and made available to the Italian network abroad to enhance their local initiatives.
Past editions
9th Edition
From 16 to 22 November 2024. Theme: “Mediterranean Diet and Traditional Cuisine: Health and Tradition”
8th Edition
From 13 to 19 November 2023. Theme: “At the table with Italian cuisine: well-being with taste”
7th Edition
From 14 to 20 November 2022. Theme: “Conviviality, sustainability and innovation: the ingredients of Italian cuisine for people’s health and the protection of the planet”
6th Edition
From 22 to 28 November 2021. Theme: “Tradition and prospects of Italian cuisine: awareness and promotion of food sustainability”
5th Edition
From 23 to 29 November 2020. Theme: “Knowledge and Flavours from the Italian lands, 200 years after the birth of Pellegrino Artusi”
4th Edition
From 18 to 24 November 2019. Theme: “Food Education: the Culture of Taste”
3rd Edition
From 19 to 25 November 2018. Theme: “Mediterranean Diet, Celebration of Rossini’s Centenary, Pasta al Pesto Day”
2nd Edition
From 20 to 26 November 2017. Theme: “Quality cuisine and wine”
1st Edition
From 21 to 27 November 2016. Theme: “The Extraordinary Italian Taste”