UNESCO Adds Koshari to Global Heritage List for 2025

UNESCO has officially inscribed Egyptian koshari onto the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for 2025. The announcement marks Egypt’s 11th mention on this list—on top of oral poetry, henna, Arabic calligraphy and more—placing an everyday street food and traditional staple on a global stage.

And honestly koshari's inclusion felt inevitable. Made from simple staples—rice, pasta, lentils, fried onions, and a choice of vinegar, garlic or hot sauce—koshari is an omnipresent force, moving easily between homes, school-side carts and busy restaurants. The formula rarely changes, even as each region adds small variations. What really defines it is its reach: a meal eaten everywhere, by everyone.

Its inscription in New Delhi this December places the dish on a global platform while recognising the communities that sustain it. The nomination drew on the people who cook, sell and pass it down, underscoring that koshari’s heritage status stems from everyday practice rather than institutional preservation.