International Day of the Mediterranean Diet

16 November is the International Day of the Mediterranean Diet. It is a new date on the UN calendar, and it comes with an idea that is easy to grasp from a kitchen: the shared table. Here is who declared it, what it is and what it is not, and which dishes from our recipe collection suit a meal on that day.

What the International Day of the Mediterranean Diet is

In December 2025 the UN General Assembly approved designating 16 November as the International Day of the Mediterranean Diet. It is a fixed date, and 2026 is the first edition: it falls on a Monday, and in 2027 it will be a Tuesday. The text invites governments, organisations, schools and civil society to observe it, and invites FAO to facilitate the observance. It is not a national or regional public holiday, and nothing is obligatory; it is a date to remember, and what you do on the day is up to each household.

Who declared it and what FAO’s role is

Italy presented the resolution on behalf of a group of countries, and the co-sponsors include Spain, along with Greece, Portugal, Morocco, France and others. The FAO Conference had backed it beforehand, and FAO has said it will take the leading role in supporting the observance. In other words: the UN sets the date and FAO accompanies it.

What it is and what it is not: UNESCO, and why it is not “Valencian heritage”

It helps to keep two things apart. The UN day dates from 2025. UNESCO came earlier: it inscribed the Mediterranean diet on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010 and extended the nomination in 2013. In 2010 the nomination came from Spain, Greece, Italy and Morocco; the current file (2013) adds Cyprus, Croatia and Portugal. UNESCO’s entry describes it as a set of skills, rituals and traditions that runs from growing crops and fishing to cooking and, above all, sharing a meal. It says that eating together is the foundation of a community’s cultural identity and continuity, and it speaks of hospitality and neighbourliness.

What it is not: a declaration about Valencian cooking. The nomination belongs to several countries and, in Spain, the file names only the community of Soria; it does not mention Valencia or Alicante. That is why we do not attribute any dish to that declaration.

What is cooked at the Valencian table

If the point of the day is eating in company, our recipe collection has dishes made for it. Valencian paella is the one for long lunches with many guests. Rice with artichokes and anchovies is a green rice from the Vega Baja, with artichokes, broad beans and new potato. And the Alicante gaspatxos, from Castalla, are the hot rabbit and chicken stew served over unleavened flatbread. We do not say of any of them that it is “from the Mediterranean diet”: they are dishes from our area that sit well at a shared table. If you want the background, our article on the history of Valencian cuisine puts them in context. And in the glossary you will find sofrito and bomba rice.

How to celebrate as a group and at work

A Monday in November is not the best day for a company party, but it works for a team lunch. If you want to bring it to the office or to a celebration, take a look at our corporate events and celebrations: we cook from Aspe and serve the Vinalopó and surrounding area. Once you have a date and a number of guests, get a quote.

More dates in the calendar

The shared table has more dates in the calendar: World Paella Day, in September. And on 10 February comes World Pulses Day.