The United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organistation (UNESCO) has recognized the culinary art and culture of ‘Il-Frita Maltija’, the first element inscribed on the UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Il-Ftira is hand-made sourdough bread. Making and eating Il-Ftira is part of the cultural heritage of the Maltese archipelago’s inhabitants. Now, Il-Ftira is also part of the international intangible cultural heritage.
The approval for inscription took place during the 15th session of the Intergovernmental Committee of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO which was held in Paris and transmitted online.
With this inscription, this symbol of Malta’s cultural heritage is being recognised as the culinary art and culture of flattened sourdough bread in Malta.
Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government José Herrera welcomed the inscription of Il-Ftira, stating that it is the ministry’s strategy to promote and bring international recognition of our rich national heritage, whether intangible and tangible.
Inscription on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List of Humanity means that Il-Ftira becomes an attraction for tourists who will be visiting our islands.
“Therefore, as a nation, we need to be vigilant to safeguard in the coming years the culinary art and culture of Il-Ftira Maltija,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Maltese government submitted the Ftira Maltija (flattened sourdough bread) and its culinary art as the first local element to be part of the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list, last year after Parliament approved that Malta ratifies the UNESCO convention on intangible cultural heritage back in 2017.
The Culture Directorate within the ministry has already submitted the second application of L-Għana Maltija which will be discussed by the UNESCO expert committee in December 2021. The Directorate is working on the third application, which is about Il-Festa Maltija.