Espresso coffee as a candidate for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage

The news that Italian espresso coffee has been candidated for UNESCO World Heritage immediately went round the world. It is without doubt the most loved and consumed beverage!

A unanimously approved candidacy by the Undersecretary for Agriculture confirmed the role that coffee plays in the national culture and economy.

Moreover, coffee is a source of inspiration for a lot of italian singers, like Pino Daniele and Fabrizio De Andrè in his celebrated ‘Don Raffaè‘, but also for many other.

Coffee is present in novels, advertising and films

Some television ads indeed have become iconic. An example is the one with the unforgettable Nino Manfredi claiming that ‘coffee is a pleasure, if it is not good what pleasure is it?’. Indeed, we Italians are very demanding when it comes to good coffee: until a few years ago it was practically impossible to drink quality coffee abroad. Fortunately, the situation has now improved and people all over the world are trying to offer real Italian espresso. Yes, because Italian coffee is espresso, drunk in a small cup, possibly hot.

For us Italians, coffee is much more than just a drink, it is a real ritual

The good morning at home before starting the day or the break at the bar with friends and colleagues.

Coffee is also solidarity expressed with suspended coffee, a custom that originated in Naples, but soon spread around the world.

A tradition and part of the national culture that has contributed to making our country famous worldwide.

In conclusion, the news of the candidature of Italian espresso coffee as a Unesco heritage site is good for the entire production chain and the coffee industry in Italy, but in terms of image it is good for the whole world.