What do Chinese acupuncture, Irish hurling and the polyphonic singing of the Aka Pygmies of Central Africa have in common?

They are all examples of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity that UNESCO has recognized since it began anointing such things in 2003, racking up more than 500 different practices and traditions so far.

Italy now hopes to inscribe yet another custom to that list: Italian espresso.

“We know very well how important coffee is to Italians, to Italians living abroad and to people around the world who have learned to appreciate something that is also a ritual and an occasion for encounter” and the dissemination of culture, said Maria Chiara Gadda, a lawmaker with Italia Viva, who spoke at a media launch of the coffee campaign in Rome on Tuesday.

Italians do love their coffee. According to the Italian Coffee Committee, a trade group, there are more than 800 coffee roasters in Italy, and more than 150,000 cafes that make espresso. In 2018, Italians consumed 5.9 kilos, or 13 pounds, of coffee per capita.