Encyclopaedic publications on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage are commonly published in domestic and foreign publishing houses. They are available in public libraries and reading rooms and belong to family libraries. It is common to go on excursions to our Czech monuments included in the list and they belong to the magnets of the so-called interest or sightseeing tourism. However, a great new book has recently been published, dealing with intangible cultural heritage of mankind.
The list has been compiled, approved and expanded since 2003. Currently, more than seven hundred of the world's intangible heritage sites are registered. There are over 200 in Europe, including 10 in the Czech Republic. The leading Brno publishing house JOTA has published a large-format, photo-rich and informative publication, where the reader can find an overview of European UNESCO intangible monuments, including our own. This cultural geography, so to speak, is equipped with a brief description of each topic, expanding our education and knowledge, which is why the book is especially recommended for study not only for the younger generations, but also for their teachers.
World heritage tangible and intangible
The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List includes customs, knowledge and skills that represent authentic forms of expression of a unique cultural identity. They cannot be preserved as a specimen in a museum - they need observation, recording and active human participation to survive. The List also includes the Register of Best Practices for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is a collection of important strategies and knowledge on how to properly care for intangible heritage. The Convention proposes five areas in which intangible cultural heritage can be observed:
Oral Traditions and Customs, Performing Arts, Social Practices, Rituals and Ceremonial Events, Knowledge and Practices Associated with Nature and the Universe, and Traditional Crafts. But let us return to the featured book itself...
From A to zet
From Albania to Switzerland, in alphabetical order, the author of the book Miroslav Hrdlička carefully records the extraordinary forms of human activity that are reflected in the world in other ways than as material monuments - unique forms of language, customs, rituals and festivals, unique performing arts, skills associated with traditional crafts or knowledge about nature and the universe.
Without a doubt, one topic is more interesting than the other. Sometimes even quite curious. Let us put our hand on our hearts: who among us knew until recently that, for example, the Albanian transhumance, which is the seasonal movement of livestock, was listed as an intangible heritage in 2023? A year before that, the Albanian traditional bell-shaped skirt called the xubleta was also inscribed with a note that it was in urgent need of protection.
In Sweden, for example, they have a tradition of Nordic klinker boats, and in Switzerland, for example, the Basel Carnival, the Vevey Wine Festival or the Clockmaker's Craft.
But let's go back home
The Czech Republic currently boasts nine entries on the List and one in the Register of Best Practices for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Slovácké verbuňk was registered in 2005, Masopustní obůčky a masškary na Hlinecku (2010), Sokol (2010), Journey of the Kings (2011), Puppetry (2016), Blueprint (2018), Blown Christmas decorations (2020), Voroplavba (2022), Strategy for the protection of traditional crafts (registered in 2022) and Handmade glass (2023).
Other Czech nominees include, for example, the lace-making industry of Vambereck, the Slavic feasts, the handmade paper production of Losinj, Czech beer culture, including brewery cooperage, bagpipemaking and the handmade chenille textiles in Hl.
He also spoke about his book on Czech Radio - you can listen to here
Author Miroslav Hrdlička
Born in 1955, graduated geographer, tourist guide, publicist. Traveller, co-founder of the Railway Travellers Club (still active today). Creator of the programme Travel Tuesdays at the Municipal Library in Prague. Co-author of a number of book guides, a project Cestomania publ. Cartography and Books Gems of Europe, mapping Europe's cultural and natural UNESCO sites.
gnews.cz - Ivan Černý
PHOTO - IOTA publishing house
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