Cyprus 1 - “Measures taken in Cyprus for the Implementation of the 2003 UNESCO Convention...

MEASURES TAKEN IN CYPRUS FOR THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2003 UNESCO

CONVENTION

(2015-2016)

Dr Euphrosyne Rizopoulou Egoumenidou (Professor Emerita, University of Cyprus)

Dr Antigoni Polyniki (Officer, Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO)

GENERAL POLICIES & FUNDING

Scheme for the Safeguarding and Enhancement of the

Intangible Cultural Heritage

Main aims:

• the financial support of the transmission, study,

research and development of ICH elements,

• the encouragement of documentation, research and

promotion activities related to ICH,

• the implementation of new approaches and

innovative initiatives which create cultural value and

develop cultural education through the study of the

intangible cultural heritage of Cyprus.

Beneficiaries:

• municipalities and communities which have inscribed

elements on the National Inventory and

Representative List of ICH and

• non-profit private bodies whose activities contribute

to the promotion of the culture of Cyprus.

Selected projects and initiatives: e.g. short documentary

films, periodic exhibitions, workshops, music youth groups,

archives.

INVENTORYING & DOCUMENTATION

National Inventory of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

of Cyprus, first call (2015)

• “Pipilla” Needle Lace – Communities concerned:

Kilani, Omodos, Lapithos.

• “Pittota” or “Venice” embroidery needle lace

(reticella type) – Community concerned: Athienou.

• Basketry and straw-mat making – Community

concerned: Livadia.

• Reed-mat weaving – Community concerned:

Kapouti.

• The art of drystone – Communities concerned:

Pitsilia, Solea, Marathassa, Limassol wine-

producing villages, Akamas peninsula settlements.

• “Arkatena” artisanal rusks – Communities

concerned: Kilani, Omodos.

• Limassol Carnival – Community concerned:

Limassol.

• The “Kataklysmos” Fair (Pentecost celebration) –

Community concerned: Larnaca.


National Inventory of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Cyprus, second call (2016) – 10 new

inscriptions under evaluation

• Red clay pottery

• Shadow theater

• “Fervolites” lace

• Traditional Cypriot wedding customs

• “Glytzista” syrup pastries

• Lapithos knife-making tradition

• Glazed pottery

• Phitiotika traditional weaving

• Basketry


© Mουσειο Παραδοσιακης Aγγειοπλαστικης Aγ.Δημητριου-

Mαραθασσας



• Red clay pottery




• Shadow theater

© Χριστόδουλος Α. Πάφιος




• “Fervolites” lace

© Δήμος Καραβά / Γιάννης Παπαϊωάννου




• Traditional Cypriot wedding customs

© 2015, Τόλης Ξεπατεράκης




• “Glytzista” syrup pastries

© 2016, Όμιλος Κοιλανιωτών / Στέλλα Φαίδωνος




• Glazed pottery

© Αρχείο Νεοπτόλεμου Κότσαπα




• “Phitiotika” traditional weaving

© 2016, Παναγιώτα Κουτσόφτα/Ίδρυμα Λαόνα




• Basketry

© Ονησίφορος Νεοφύτου

PROTECTION MEASURES

Lefkaritiko Lace Embroidery National Standard: Creating an instrument for the protection of this

traditional handicraft.

AWARENESS-RAISING • Community involvement schemes

• Educational initiatives

• Media collaboration

• Participation in public lectures and workshops

• Articles/Publications

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES Promoting and transmitting ICH through formal and non formal Education

© 2015, Κυπριακή Εθνική Επιτροπή UNESCO/A. Πολυνείκη

© 2015, Κυπριακή Εθνική Επιτροπή UNESCO/Louca Studios

© 2016, Λανίτειο Λύκειο

A WEALTH OF INITIATIVES

REGIONAL & INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

DRYSTONE AS AN ELEMENT OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

INFORMAL EXPERT MEETING

Nicosia, Cyprus, 22-23 January 2016

© 2011, Αναστασία Πήττα

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

(a) To modify the current trend of cultural management from static transmission of the ICH to

a more dynamic approach both on the community and on the national level. This means to

encourage communities to transfer ICH related knowledge and skills without ‘freezing’

these expressions in their past manifestations but rather through supporting their

continuous evolution and contemporary interpretation, while ensuring that all safeguarding

measures are implemented with the consent of the communities;

(b) To involve even more communities in the process of inventorying and to provide incentives

and guidance for communities which have inscribed elements on the National Inventory

and the Representative List to implement appropriate safeguarding measures without

distorting the meaning of this heritage for themselves;

(c) To ensure that intellectual property rights of the bearers of ICH are respected and to

create a form of official certification for practitioners of traditional cultural expressions in

order to protect them against unauthorized imitation and mass reproduction;

(d) To provide training for community members on the use of information and communication

technologies for the documentation of ICH cultural expressions (especially video,

recordings and photographs).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO (2014). Periodic report No.00805/Cyprus. Intergovernmental

Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Ninth Session, 24-28 November 2014.

• Nicolaou-Konnari, Angel (2015). The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural

Heritage: Programmes and Actions of the Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO. In: 70 Years of UNESCO

(in Greek). Nicosia: Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO.

• Polyniki, Antigoni (2015). Lefkara Embroidery Lace, Modi and Modulations. An Apprenticeship Programme

of the Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO. – In: Lefkaritiko, Modi and Modulations. Exhibition

Catalogue (in Greek). Nicosia: Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO.

• Polyniki, Antigoni (2016). The Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO: Promoting and Transmitting ICH

through Formal and Non-formal Education: Two Exemplary Cases. In: The Contribution of UNESCO Member

States of South-Eastern Europe to the Implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible

Cultural Heritage. A Jubilee Edition Dedicated to the 70th Anniversary of UNESCO. Sofia: Regional Centre for

the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO.

• Rizoupoulou-Egoumenidou & Papantoniou, Thekla (2016). Measures Undertaken in Cyprus for the

Implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in the period

between 2014-2015. In: The Contribution of UNESCO Member States of South-Eastern Europe to the

Implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. A Jubilee Edition

Dedicated to the 70th Anniversary of UNESCO. Sofia: Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible

Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO.

Thank you!

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Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO

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