Indonesia awaits UNESCO recognition for tempe by late 2026
The tempe nomination was formally submitted on March 29, 2025 and will anchor National Tempe Day events through June.
Indonesia is awaiting UNESCO recognition of tempe culture as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a decision targeted for late 2026. At a National Tempe Day commemoration in Jakarta on Wednesday, the Ministry of Culture said tempe shows the resilience of cultural heritage by continuing to adapt to health-food trends while retaining its traditional values. The tempe nomination to UNESCO was formally submitted on March 29, 2025 after a process that began in early 2024. Endah T.D. Retnoastuti, Director General of Cultural Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cooperation, said the move also marked a starting point for preserving and developing tempe at the national and international levels. Forum Tempe Indonesia said tempe also reflects history, fermentation technology, the people’s economy, food security and environmental sustainability.