From 16 to 22 November, the XI Week of Italian Cuisine in the World celebrates Italian food culture around the globe, dedicated this year to the theme “Italian Cuisine, UNESCO Heritage: Territories and Supply Chains of Excellence”.
Promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Week is the Ministry’s longest-running showcase of Italian excellence and a key reference point for promoting Italy’s agri-food heritage abroad. It is organised in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (MASAF), ICE – Italian Trade Agency, trade associations and the sector’s main stakeholders.
Following the inscription of “Italian cooking, between sustainability and biocultural diversity” on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2025, this year’s edition celebrates a cultural model built on a deep interweaving of territories, communities and traditions. Fields, vineyards and production districts, where tradition, producers and research institutions come together, are placed at the heart of the Week as the origin of Italy’s gastronomic system. Italian cuisine emerges as a mosaic of local knowledge and creativity handed down through generations, grounded in sustainability, seasonal produce and the reduction of waste. Particular attention goes to local supply chains, to the contribution of agriculture to safeguarding biodiversity and to indications of origin.
In Melbourne, the Italian Cultural Institute and the Consulate General of Italy in Melbourne invite audiences to explore the stories, flavours and traditions that connect Italian cuisine to its territories.