The “Cultural Landscape of Chianti Classico” takes its first steps towards Unesco

The “Cultural Landscape of Chianti Classico”, one of the most beautiful wine territories in the world, between Siena of the Middle Ages and Florence of the Renaissance, takes the first offical steps towards the candidacy for Unesco Heritage: the Regional Council of Tuscany, approved the outline of the protocol of agreement between the Region, the seven Municipalities of the Chianti Classico (Barberino Tavarnelle, Castellina, Castelnuovo Berardenga, Gaiole, Greve, Radda, San Casciano Val di Pesa), the Chianti Classico Consortium – which played an important role in the process that led to the candidacy – and the Foundation for the protection of the Chianti Classico territory, with the work and scientific director of the professor Paola Falini, which will prepare the offical candidacy of what has been an icon of the Italian cultural landscape in the world for decades, and that wuold be added to the other seven Unesco sites (in addiction to the 55 overall in Italy) already present in Tuscany: Florence, Pisa, San Gimignano, Valdorcia, Medici Villas and Gardens.
The path, started, at least in intentions, over a year ago, when from the Chianti Classico Collection the suggestion slowly began to become a concrete objective of the territory, provides the inclusion of the landscape in the Italian proposal list, and therefore the presentation of the candidacy for inclusion in the Unesco World Cultural and Natural Heritage List, which already includes the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, the Vineyard Landscape of Langhe, Roero and Monferrato and the Val d’Orcia, which includes the rows of Sangiovese of Brunello di Montalcino. Candidacy that, thanks to the agreement, all signatories have committed to bringing to a successful conclusion with coordination and collaboration. The Region and the Foundation, for their part, will manage the relations with the Ministry of Culture and the Unesco Italian National Commission.
“The involvement of the Tuscany Region, which yesterday took an important resolution, together with the words of President Giani, constitutes a signal of strong recognition that confirms our determination to work in the direction we have taken, supported by all the representatives of the highest territorial institutions. Together with the Mayors and the Region we will carry out a choral project in the belief that all public and private actors of this unique territory can offer indispensable contributions and experience”, comments the president of the Foundation for the protection of the Chianti Classico territory, Tessa Capponi.
“This is an expected and necessary step - comments the president of the Tuscany Region Eugenio Giani - the landscape of Chianti Classico, one of the most famous images of Tuscany in the world at the point of becoming iconic, deserves to be included in the World heritage list. We will continue to work in concert and with commitment, as we always have done to promote, enhance and protect the harmony of the territory and its economic engine, supported by agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, landscape and history. Chianti in itself represents a cultural value of our region and our country, and with the inclusion in the Unesco heritage, it will be able to fully enhance its role. “We are starting a process – concludes Giani – which will count on the ability of share of this territory and on its historic vocation to produce growth and development through collaboration, the union of resources and an open and shared vision of the future”.