The Ministry of Culture has added 12 new elements and one example of good practice to the National Index of Intangible Cultural Heritage, highlighting the importance of safeguarding and preserving our living traditions and cultural identity.
The Ministry of Culture announced the inclusion of twelve new elements and the promotion of one Good Practice in the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece, as part of the implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which has been in place since 2006.
According to the announcement by the Ministry of Culture, the bulletins for the 12 elements and the Good Practice were submitted and processed by the Directorate of Contemporary Cultural Heritage and the National Scientific Committee for the Implementation of the UNESCO Convention (2003). To date, the National Index comprises 164 elements and one example of good practice for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.
The Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni, stated: “The inclusion of the twelve new elements and the Good Practice in the National Index of Intangible Cultural Heritage, in collaboration with communities and institutions, with the aim of safeguarding traditions and passing them on to younger generations, is a recognition of the living tradition that connects communities with their local history and identity. Each element we record reflects the rich diversity of our intangible cultural heritage, the skills, imagination and collective memory of our people. Its preservation is not only an act of respect for the past, but also a valuable investment in the continuity and renewal of the community, in the transmission of sound knowledge to new generations and in the strengthening of our cultural identity. Through participation in and the dissemination of this tradition, our heritage remains alive, fully accessible and collectively managed.”
The new components of the National Index
Among the twelve new elements included in the National Index are the Dry Malvasia wine from Monemvasia, Crete and Paros; Agiovasiliatika Karavakia from Chios; Keskeki from Melissia; and Tiganites from Rodavgi in Arta. Each element represents a living tradition that is passed down from generation to generation, strengthening social cohesion and collective memory.
The Index also includes the Decoration and the Epitaph Procession in Arta, the Kales and Bramdes in Skopelos, the Cretan Mantinada, the art of traditional violin playing, the Dance of Andromana in Deskati, Grevena, the Kopaneli of Salamis, the Trata (Fregada) of Skopelos and the Lazaritika Kalanta in Krinitsa, Trikala.
Good Practice from Lemnos
The Good Practice developed by MedINA in Lemnos: concerns the promotion, preservation and utilisation of the island’s intangible cultural and agri-food heritage. The programme promotes the linking of living traditions with sustainable local development, through documentation, educational programmes and initiatives to empower producers.
The initiative involves documenting traditional crafts, such as basketry, promoting local products and the Terra Vita certification scheme, whilst emphasising community participation, thereby ensuring that the cultural heritage of Lemnos remains alive and is managed collectively.
Source: businessdaily.gr