Art of Neapolitan pizza wins UNESCO status

(ANSA) - Rome, December - UNESCO said Thursday that the art of the Neapolitan 'Pizzaiuolo' (pizza maker) has been put on its prestigious Intangible Cultural Heritage list. "The practice originates in Naples, where around 3,000 Pizzaiuoli now live and perform, and plays a key role in fostering social gatherings and intergenerational exchange," UNESCO said in a statement after a committee added 12 new elements to the intangible list during a meeting in Jeju, South Korea. "Knowledge and skills related to the element are primarily transmitted in the 'bottega' of the Pizzaiuolo, where young apprentices can observe their master at work".