The UNESCO recognition of the Vineyard Landscapes of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato is the result of a long collective effort.
This journey began in 2003 and culminated in the sites being inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2014, thanks to the synergy between institutions, local authorities, associations, universities, consortia and communities.
Let's review the main stages together:
2003
→ The Piedmont Region started the nomination process.
2006–2010
→ The Promotional Committee was established. Studies, data collection and comparisons between local authorities and communities began. Registration of the site on the Italian Tentative List. In 2008, a memorandum of understanding was signed by the Piedmont Region, the provinces of Alessandria, Asti and Cuneo, and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, marking the beginning of the drafting process for the nomination dossier.
2011
→ Official presentation of the dossier to the Italian National Commission for UNESCO and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
2013
→ Field assessment by international ICOMOS inspectors. Following the opinions expressed by ICOMOS (UNESCO's official advisory body) and UNESCO, the nomination has been resubmitted with some modifications.
22 June 2014
→ The Vineyard Landscapes of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is Italy's 50th UNESCO site and the country's first cultural vineyard landscape to be recognised as such. It was officially recognised at the World Heritage Committee meeting in Doha, Qatar.
It was a project that required study and discussion, as well as the ability to listen and question oneself, to share one's story and build a common vision of the landscape, not only as aesthetic heritage, but also as living testimony to a shared identity.
The nomination successfully brought together different areas of knowledge and a vast territory with diverse vocations. Together, these voices recognised the landscape's value as a shared resource to be preserved, passed on and experienced.
This joint effort culminated in the landscape's inscription on the World Heritage List on 22 June 2014 in Doha, Qatar.
Above all, it has given rise to a new responsibility: to live up to this recognition every day through conscious choices, daily actions, and constant care.
The path to the nomination was paved with patience and perseverance, and this recognition marks the start of an ongoing commitment.
