Asti, June 20, 2024 – Two days of vibrant celebrations will take place on June 21 and 22 to mark the 10th anniversary of the inscription of the Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The event will feature numerous initiatives across the three provinces of Alessandria, Asti, and Cuneo.
The celebrations will open on June 21 at the Castle of Grinzane, during the Food & Wine Tourism Forum, Italy’s leading event dedicated to innovation in food and wine tourism. Now in its seventh edition, and aptly titled RE/ACTION, the forum will focus on the themes of value, protection, and innovation in UNESCO heritage, as well as on the power of example — the best practices and projects that have transformed the contexts in which World Heritage landscapes are embedded.
The Forum will bring together representatives from some of Europe’s major UNESCO cultural and landscape sites, with delegations arriving from France, Hungary, Germany, Portugal, and, of course, Italy. The event will also provide the occasion to present the results of a study on the socio-economic impacts of the UNESCO designation over the first ten years (2014–2024), laying the groundwork for the development of the future management plan.
The real birthday celebration of the Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato will take place on Saturday, June 22 — the very same date when, ten years ago in Doha, Qatar, the rolling hills of southern Piedmont were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
At the foot of Grinzane Cavour Castle, visitors will find a hot air balloon featuring the Vineyard Landscapes branding. The castle itself holds a central place in this story: a unique testament to the history of Piedmontese viticulture and once the residence of statesman Camillo Benso, Count of Cavour, who personally carried out experiments here to improve the quality of wines that would later become Piedmont’s most celebrated reds.
Throughout the day, there will be the first of three commemorative postal cancellations marking the anniversary, with a special postcard dedicated to the Vineyard Landscapes and featuring the 10th Anniversary stamp. The day will conclude at 9:30 p.m. with the traditional birthday concert, featuring the Virtuoso Ensemble, organized in collaboration with the International Music Exchange Association.
In honor of the UNESCO 10th Anniversary, Turin’s Mole Antonelliana will be illuminated on the evening of Saturday, June 22, with the symbol celebrating ten years of recognition.
“All the municipalities,” explains Giovanna Quaglia, President of the Association for the Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato, “are organizing special moments to mark this anniversary. On Friday, June 21, we will present to the President of the Piedmont Region, Alberto Cirio, the commemorative medal awarded by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, for the occasion. This anniversary marks an important milestone and a new step toward the future, as the Management Body is working on a new management plan for the Site, starting precisely from the socio-economic impact study that will be presented in Grinzane. I wish to thank, on this occasion, the entire Board of Directors and past Presidents for their invaluable work over the years.”
To mark the UNESCO 10th Anniversary of the Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato, additional events and celebrations are also scheduled in Alba, Canelli, Barbaresco, and Alice Bel Colle.
