Tunisia’s Harissa Culinary Festival Gets UNESCO Tag

January 16, 2025

(3 Minutes Read)

Importantly, UNESCO has recognised Harissa on its intangible cultural heritage list and describes it as an integral part of domestic provisions and the daily culinary and food traditions of Tunisian society. Harissa is now recognised on the cultural heritage list alongside Ukrainian borscht and Cuban rum.

Tunisia’s Cap Bon region is known for several mouth-watering delicacies. Harissa is one of them, made from a traditional recipe of bright red peppers combined with garlic, vinegar, and spices to create a saucy spread. During the festival, Harissa is made almost everywhere: restaurants, wayside food stalls, homes, and what have you. These days some people have become health conscious. They make Harissa using organic ingredients free of toxic substances.

At Nabeul’s 10th Harissa Festival, the bustling crowds make their way to taste the products displayed in various stalls. They scoop the red, spicy, and tangy paste on bread grilled in olive oil or top it on preparations of eggs, fish, stews, or sandwiches. The festival attracts food freaks all over including foreigners.

Importantly, UNESCO has recognised Harissa for its intangible cultural heritage list and describes it as an integral part of domestic provisions and the daily culinary and food traditions of Tunisian society. Harissa is now recognised on the cultural heritage list alongside Ukrainian borscht and Cuban rum. Already popular across North Africa as well as in France, it’s gaining popularity throughout the world from the United States to China. Its name comes from “haras” – the Arabic verb for “to crush” – because of how it’s made.

This event took place two years after Harissa was inscribed on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage in December 2022. Nabeul’s Harissa Festival is much more than just a culinary event; it’s a celebration of Tunisian cultural identity and a tribute to artisans like Chahida Boufayed, who preserve ancestral know-how.