Italian cuisine is "one of the most extraordinary things we have, which speaks to our culture, our identity, our tradition," but also "our strength." "For this reason, we have also organized "traditional tables" to also showcase "traditions." This was Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's statement, live on Rai 1's Domenica In program, at the "Sunday Lunch" initiative to support the nomination of Italian cuisine for UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage status, a decision on which "will be made in December."

For the occasion, the prime minister attended an outdoor dinner at the Temple of Venus, facing the Colosseum, along with other guests, including Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, and Lazio Region President Francesco Rocca. "Italian cuisine is worth around €250 billion worldwide," Meloni emphasized. Responding to a question from Mara Venier, she said, "I usually spent Sunday lunch with my maternal grandparents," a memory "linked to pastries, including the diplomat."

And controversy erupts: "Giorgia Meloni continues to refuse to come to Parliament to explain what Italy will do regarding the recognition of the State of Palestine and sanctions against the Israeli government. Yet she continues to find time to make election commercials on public service," thunders Democratic Party secretary Elly Schlein. " Today she explains to us on RaiUno, the flagship channel of her TeleMeloni channel, which lunches and which pastries she prefers to eat on Sundays. All this while Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia announce their recognition of the State of Palestine and join the many other states trying to contribute to ending the illegal occupation of Gaza and the crimes of Netanyahu's government."

RAI responded with a statement: "A true public service event in the story of Italy's culture, traditions, industry, and international promotion." The initiative, it emphasized, "entailed the participation of 10 leading cities, representing administrations of all political persuasions, from center-right to center-left." "Precisely with this spirit of unity and inclusion, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the city's mayor Roberto Gualtieri launched the initiative during the live broadcast from Rome."

"As a public service broadcaster," reads the statement released by Viale Mazzini, "RAI has always promoted and supported initiatives of national interest and international significance that concern Italy's cultural heritage. The September 21 episode of Domenica In featured a segment dedicated to 'Sunday Lunch - Italians at the Table,' an initiative promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, the Ministry of Culture, and ANCI (National Association of Italian Municipalities) in support of the candidacy of Italian Cuisine for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status. Promoting the tradition of Sunday lunch means recognizing a ritual that unites families, communities, and individuals, passes down gastronomic knowledge, strengthens social bonds, and represents a distinctive feature of Italian culture and industry around the world. " "The initiative, which spread across the country," Rai continues, "envisioned 10 leading cities, representing administrations of all political persuasions—from center-right to center-left—with events held in dozens of Italian municipalities. Precisely with this spirit of unity and inclusion, during the live broadcast from Rome, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and the city's mayor Roberto Gualtieri launched the initiative. The symbolic 'passing of the microphone' between the Prime Minister and the mayor of Rome represented the shared meaning of the initiative. The presence of hosts, actors, public figures, and spokespeople from the world of RAI and beyond helped make the day a great popular celebration, bringing citizens closer to such a vital theme. For RAI," the statement concludes, "it was a true public service event in the narration of culture, traditions, our industry, and the promotion of Italy internationally."

(Unioneonline/D)

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