Türkiye and Azerbaijan have jointly submitted a nomination to UNESCO seeking to have baklava inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a move aimed at protecting the centuries-old tradition of making the iconic dessert.

The joint application comes amid long-standing debates over the origins of baklava. Greece has argued that the dessert forms part of its historical heritage, linking its roots to Byzantine cuisine and the traditions of the Aegean islands, The Caspian Post reports via Türkiye newspaper.

Türkiye, however, maintains that the modern version of baklava was developed in the kitchens of the Ottoman Empire. Turkish historians point to palace records dating back to the reign of Sultan Mehmed II in the 15th century as the earliest written references to the dessert.

If approved, the UNESCO listing would recognize and safeguard the traditional methods of preparing baklava as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage.

The final decision will be made by UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage during its 21st session, which will take place in Xiamen, China, from November 30 to December 5, 2026.

UNESCO's Representative List currently includes more than 600 cultural practices, traditions, and crafts from around the world.