Traveling is not just about jumping from one attraction to another, visiting museums or photographing historical monuments. To discover a place as a whole, you also need to immerse yourself in its culture to prove it authentic experiences that help us understand the history and traditions of the destination we have chosen. If finding them is not always an easy task, we can trustUnesco which, every year, publishes a list with the traditions to preserve because they are considered a Intangible Cultural Heritage.
The various members of the organization that make up UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) meet to discuss and agree on new items to add to their list. These can be you sing, dances, ritualsdress up, festivalcelebrations, ceremonies, typical dishescraft, works of art and many more from all over the world. What’s new this year? Let’s discover them together!
European traditions added to the UNESCO list
A whole series of products and traditions from Europe have entered the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage to be protected according to UNESCO, such as the mastery of Parisian restorers of zinc roofs. This is a particular and complex process: whoever carries it out must have the knowledge and skills necessary to restore the Haussmann style built in Paris in the 19th century. With almost 80% of the roofs of Paris covered with zinc, this fact shapes the unique identity of the urban landscape and is transmitted through an apprenticeship program, where apprentices alternate between theory, practical lessons and practical experience on construction sites .
YesUkraineinstead, it was decided to preserve thethe ancient Pysanka traditionthat is to say the art of decorating the egg: the typical motifs and symbols are applied to the egg with wax, then dipped in dye, which covers everything except the wax areas. The process is repeated to obtain the desired pattern and colors that represent the wishes and personal messages of the person making them. This is an important recognition considering the involvement of the country in the war against Russia and the risk that traditions like this will be lost.
come on traditional dish has been entered Milk Porridge typical of Estonia made from potatoes and barley, consumed every day in the Mulgimaa region, while the Italy and Spain appear together in the tradition related to manual ringing of bells. The bells are played as musical instruments, individually or in groups, with distinct local styles and techniques and showcase the skills and knowledge of the individual bell ringers.
Traditions from the rest of the world
Two traditions whose practice is in decline and which risk being abandoned have also been included in the list of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. These are the Reog Ponorogo Performing Artsa centuries-old Indonesian theater dance, and the Wosana rituals of Botswana.
Other traditions include traditional knowledge and related skills sake production with koji mushrooms in Japan: Sake is an alcoholic drink made from grains and water, deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Artisans use koji, a mold, to convert the starch ingredients into sugar, monitoring the process to ensure that the mold grows in optimal conditions, adjusting the temperature and humidity as needed. Considered a sacred gift from the gods, sake is indispensable at festivals, weddings, rites of passage and other socio-cultural occasions.
Among the traditions included in the list also appear the Minas cheese of the Brazil obtained through an artisanal production process involving knowledge and techniques developed by small rural producers in Minas Gerais, IL Qiang New Year Festival from the China and the practices and cultural expressions related to Kramaa traditional fabric typical of Cambodia. If you are curious to discover all the 66 innovations introduced by UNESCO, you can find the complete list on the organization’s official website.