I almost missed this, mamma mia! A last minute bit of web surfing turned it up. Today is the 2010 International Day of Italian Cuisines.

And the star of this day is tagliatelle al ragù bolognese. More often humbly christened spaghetti and meatballs in the U.S.  In England, absolutely irreverently, spag bol.

From the sponsors of the mouthwatering event:

“…hundreds of chefs, in more than 50 countries, will simultaneously prepare this dish to say “no” to the forgery and counterfeiting of Italian products and cuisine around the world.”

The sponsor is the GVCI (Gruppo Virtuale Cuochi Italiani) — English version is the Virtual Group of Italian Cooks. It’s a network of over a thousand professionals in Italian food and wine who work all over the world, according to the Group’s website.

Depending on where you are on the globe, you may still be able to find a restaurant participating in the event — see map of locations here.

If not, you can whip up your own dish of the tagliatelle at home. The authentic recipe is here — including the homemade pasta itself.