UNESCO recognises traditional Ukrainian Easter eggs as cultural heritage of humanity

The Ukrainian pysanka (a decorated Easter egg) has been recognised as an element of the cultural heritage of humanity at the 19th session of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Source: Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine; UNESCO

Details: The UNESCO Committee met in the Paraguayan capital, Asunción. Ukraine and Estonia had applied for recognition of the unique styles of their Easter eggs.

"This is our collective success, which confirms the strength of our unity. At the same time, the aggressor is destroying our culture, monuments, theatres, libraries, museums. Our artists, the bearers of our living heritage, are dying in the fight for our homeland. Their loss undermines the very heart of our identity. After all, living heritage does not exist without people. But we are proving that even in the darkest times, we remain unbreakable," Culture Minister Mykola Tochytskyi said in his video address.

For reference: The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity comprises 611 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 140 states that are parties to the Convention. Ukraine's contributions to the list include the Petrykivka decorative painting style as a phenomenon of Ukrainian ornamental folk art, which was added in 2013; the tradition of Kosiv painted ceramics, added in 2019; and Ornek, a Crimean Tatar ornament, and knowledge about it in 2021.

Support UP or become our patron!