• About Us
  • Readers Write
  • Our People
Carthage Magazine
  • Home
  • Things to Do
    • Leisure
  • Food & Drinks
    • Taste Tunisia
  • People
    • Interviews
    • No Sugarcoating
    • Environment
  • Style & Travel
    • Attractions
    • Trip Planning
      • Travel Information
      • Hotels in Tunisia
      • Cost of Living
      • Tunisia’s Language
      • Tunisia’s Weather
      • Tunisia’s Currency
      • Tunisia’s Visa
    • Transport in Tunisia
      • Traveling Around
      • Local Transport
      • Flights to Tunisia
      • Ferries to Tunisia
      • Tunisia Overland
  • Local History
    • Museums
    • Monuments
    • Heritage Sites
    • Historical Figures
  • Education
  • Tech & Startups
  • Editors’ Picks
Editors' PicksFood & DrinksNews

Tunisia’s Harissa Gets UNESCO Heritage Status2 min read

By Contributing Editor December 1, 2022
Written by Contributing Editor December 1, 2022
Tunisia's Harissa

UNESCO on Thursday added Tunisia’s spicy and most famous national condiment Harissa to its list of intangible cultural heritage, saying it was part of the North African country’s identity.

Thursday, UNESCO placed the Tunisian condiment Harissa to its list of intangible cultural heritage, citing its significance to the identity of the North African nation.

The cultural agency of the United Nations is meeting in Morocco to consider proposals for its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which strives to safeguard cultural traditions, practices, and knowledge.

Tunisia's Harissa.
Tunisia’s Harissa.

It tweeted on Thursday, “Just inscribed on the #IntangibleHeritage List: Harissa, knowledge, skills, and culinary and social practices.”

Tunisia’s Spicy Harissa

Harissa is a paste made from sun-dried hot peppers, freshly prepared spices, and olive oil, which preserves and slightly tones down its intensity. It is served in nearly every restaurant in Tunisia and is also exported internationally.

The condiment is wonderfully spicy, smoky, and packed with rich, deep flavors. It’s also extremely versatile, as it pairs well with sandwiches, different dishes, and even plain olive oil.

Similar Read: Tunisian Cuisine — Mentality, Spirit & Character

Harissa is “an integral part of domestic provisioning and the everyday culinary and dietary traditions of Tunisian culture,” according to Tunisia’s application for the status. It is typically cooked by families and communities.

“Harissa is used as a condiment, an ingredient, and even as a dish in its own right, and is well-known throughout Tunisia, where it is consumed and manufactured, particularly in the regions where chilli peppers are farmed,” the source explained.

It is regarded as a distinguishing part of national culinary heritage and a role in social cohesiveness.

The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Legacy seeks to protect and increase awareness of the “intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups, and individuals involved.”

UNESCO emphasizes that the list recognizes traditions, practices, and knowledge as “human treasures” that must be safeguarded.

Wednesday, the organization also recognized French baguettes, bringing the total number of goods on the list to over 530.

Suggested Read: 7 Things You Didn’t Know about Tunisian Food


If you would like to comment on this article or anything else you have seen on Carthage Magazine, leave a comment below or head over to our Facebook page. You may also message us via this page.

And if you liked this article, sign up for the monthly features newsletter. A handpicked selection of stories from Carthage Magazine, delivered to your inbox.


Support Carthage Magazine
heritage
0 comment
2
FacebookTwitterEmail
Contributing Editor

Contributing Editor account at Carthage Magazine. Tunisia's premier English general-interest Magazine with thousands of page-views per month and over 200,000 social media followers.

previous post
Tunisians Celebrate Historic Win Over France Despite World Cup Exit
next post
Moving to Tunisia? Here’s Everything You Need to Know

Related Articles

Tabarka & Ain Draham: Reconnecting with Nature

January 24, 2023

SpaceX Requests Authorization to Operate Starlink in Tunisia

January 16, 2023

Tunisia’s Inflation to Top 11% This Year, Deepening...

January 16, 2023

BioNTech Acquires Tunisia-Founded AI Startup InstaDeep for $684m

January 11, 2023

New Heart, New Life | A New Successful...

January 11, 2023

The Land of Harissa, Dates, and Olive Oil...

January 2, 2023

Drought Tightens Its Grip on Tunisia

December 29, 2022

The Tunisia-Italy Interconnection: An Energy Bridge Between Europe...

December 11, 2022

Life in Tunisia: What It’s Really Like —...

December 5, 2022

Tunisians Celebrate Historic Win Over France Despite World...

December 1, 2022

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Flavors of Tunisia

Taste-Tunisia-Tunisian-Cuisine-3

Want more top stories?

Carthage Magazine Newsletter

Sign up today and you’ll get our latest stories delivered straight to your inbox.

Quizzes

Quiz: How Well Do You Know African Countries...

QUIZ: Think You’re a Know-It-All? Try Naming These...

Just For You

  • 1

    Alcohol in Tunisia: What Visitors Need to Know

    August 2, 2021
  • 2

    Aziza Othmana: One of the Most Iconic Tunisian Princesses

    April 17, 2021
  • 3

    Tunisia’s Currency – Tunisian Dinar | TND, Notes, Coins, Exchange Rate

    June 7, 2021
  • 4

    The Ancient Roman Swimming Pools of Gafsa

    January 3, 2023
  • 5

    Ferries to Tunisia — Another Good Reason to Plan a Trip to Tunisia

    June 26, 2021

Latest

  • Tabarka & Ain Draham: Reconnecting with Nature

  • GBarena Acquires Tunisian Gaming Startup Galactech in $15m Deal

  • SpaceX Requests Authorization to Operate Starlink in Tunisia

  • Tunisia’s Inflation to Top 11% This Year, Deepening Economic & Political Crises

Sections

  • Editors' Picks
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Food & Drinks
  • Local History
  • News
  • No Sugarcoating
  • People
  • Quizzes
  • Real Estate
  • Style & Travel
  • Tech & Startups
  • Things to Do
  • Videos

E᙭ᑭᒪOᖇE

Carthage Magazine

We’re on a mission to create content that inspires people about experiences, places, products and people in Tunisia!

 

— About Us

— Adverstising

— Transparency

— Contact Us

Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin Youtube

ᗯᗩᑎT ᗰOᖇE TOᑭ ᔕTOᖇIEᔕ?

Carthage Magazine Newsletter

Sign up today and you’ll get our latest stories delivered straight to your inbox.

ᔕᑭᖇEᗩᗪ TᕼE ᗯOᖇᗪ

Spread the word

Our goal is to get these stories out in the public arena, and by doing this, keep promoting Tunisia and changing attitudes towards the MENA region.

 

— Ambassadors

— Readers Write

— What You Can Do to Help

EᗪITOᖇᔕ’ ᑭIᑕKᔕ

  • Tabarka & Ain Draham: Reconnecting with Nature

    January 24, 2023
  • BioNTech Acquires Tunisia-Founded AI Startup InstaDeep for $684m

    January 11, 2023
  • The Land of Harissa, Dates, and Olive Oil — You Guessed It

    January 2, 2023

© 2019 - 2022 Carthage Magazine. Privacy Policy

Carthage Magazine
  • Home
  • Things to Do
    • Leisure
  • Food & Drinks
    • Taste Tunisia
  • People
    • Interviews
    • No Sugarcoating
    • Environment
  • Style & Travel
    • Attractions
    • Trip Planning
      • Travel Information
      • Hotels in Tunisia
      • Cost of Living
      • Tunisia’s Language
      • Tunisia’s Weather
      • Tunisia’s Currency
      • Tunisia’s Visa
    • Transport in Tunisia
      • Traveling Around
      • Local Transport
      • Flights to Tunisia
      • Ferries to Tunisia
      • Tunisia Overland
  • Local History
    • Museums
    • Monuments
    • Heritage Sites
    • Historical Figures
  • Education
  • Tech & Startups
  • Editors’ Picks
Carthage Magazine
  • Home
  • Things to Do
    • Leisure
  • Food & Drinks
    • Taste Tunisia
  • People
    • Interviews
    • No Sugarcoating
    • Environment
  • Style & Travel
    • Attractions
    • Trip Planning
      • Travel Information
      • Hotels in Tunisia
      • Cost of Living
      • Tunisia’s Language
      • Tunisia’s Weather
      • Tunisia’s Currency
      • Tunisia’s Visa
    • Transport in Tunisia
      • Traveling Around
      • Local Transport
      • Flights to Tunisia
      • Ferries to Tunisia
      • Tunisia Overland
  • Local History
    • Museums
    • Monuments
    • Heritage Sites
    • Historical Figures
  • Education
  • Tech & Startups
  • Editors’ Picks
© 2019 - 2022 Carthage Magazine. Privacy Policy

Read alsox

For a Cleaner and Greener Tunisia, Compost!

November 12, 2021

The Coziest Vegetable Stew — Tunisia’s Go-To...

November 16, 2020

Hannibal: The Last Hero of The Free...

August 25, 2020