Finally, Pizza Officially Recognized as Art Form

The city of Naples, often in headlines because of its garbage woes and mafia violence, is celebrating international recognition of its tastier side, the AP reports. UNESCO on Thursday added the art of the Neapolitan pizza maker, or "pizzaiuolo," to its list of "intangible cultural heritage of humanity." Pizza making was one of dozens of traditional practices from around the world that got on the UN cultural organization's list of "forms of expression" that are of importance to humanity. Other winners this year were the ritual Kumbh Mela baths taken in India, Bosnian woodcarving, and the "Sega tambour" dance and song performances of Mauritius' Rodrigues Island. In Naples, pizza makers celebrated the victory and planned to give away free pizza next week at a massive street party. (More pizza stories.)