Our country has a new inscription in the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is the “Search and quarrying of truffles in Italy: traditional knowledge and practices”, a candidacy presented by the National Federation of Italian Truffle Hunters (FNATI) and the National Association of Truffle Cities (ANCT).
This is the first national candidacy of the Intangible heritage which represents the theme of Cultural biodiversity as a key factor for the identification of an element capable of combining the millennial historical and anthropological traits with the dimension of non-formal intergenerational transmission and the interdependence between man and nature in the different natural habitats and suitable territories. A network that unites about 70,000 truffle hunters, 14 Italian regions and numerous municipalities also in inland areas.
“It is very important to underline that the inclusion in the UNESCO heritage is not of the truffle as a product, but the activity of truffle search and quarrying. An activity behind which lies a world made of knowledge and knowledge of ancient practice, often handed down from father to son that also for our territories has represented a great opportunity. The first to believe in the UNESCO candidacy and to start the path in 2013 were the promoters of the National Association of Truffle Cities, of which the Town of Viano who is committed to this result” Satisfaction with the mayor of Toano, Vincenzo Volpi: “There is great pride in learning the very important news: truffle hunting is a tradition rooted in our territory with numerous enthusiasts”.
