The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced in December the inclusion of the production method of Minas Artisan Cheese in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
It is the first time that a Brazilian food production tradition has received the title of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The production of Minas Artisan Cheese encompasses 106 municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais. Made from raw milk, this cheese has been produced for over three centuries, dating back to the colonial period.
Since 2008, the Production Methods of Minas Artisan Cheese have been recognized as Cultural Heritage of Brazil by the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (Iphan), linked to the Ministry of Culture.
The request for recognition was presented by Iphan to UNESCO in March 2023 and approved during the 19th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay.
In a statement, Brazil’s Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, described the recognition as “a unique way to preserve our memory and the wisdom of our people.”
Leandro Grass, president of Iphan, emphasized that the cheese has no value without the human element, noting that it is not just the Minas cheese that is heritage, but the methods of its production. “Behind the story of Minas cheese is the story of Brazil and family farming.”
For Grass, the recognition represents a commitment to the care and preservation of this cultural asset. He expressed hope that this will help highlight the heritage of Minas Gerais and Brazil.
Source: Agência Brasil