UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage and World Cuisines

In 2003, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). The primary purpose of the convention is the maintenance of intangible heritage, the raising of awareness, promotion of respect, and the provision of international cooperation and assistance. The convention lays out five “domains” by which cultural practices may qualify for protection; these are described in the following section. As of May 2014, 161 member states had ratified the convention. Importantly, under the framework of intangible cultural heritage, foodways have become protected. In 2010, the first gastronomic entries were inscribed on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage:

The particularities of ...