Belarusian element of the intangible cultural heritage “Straw weaving of Belarus: art, craft, skills” was included in the UNESCO List

On December 1, 2022 the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO (UNESCO Committee) during the 17th session (Rabat, Morocco) decided to include "The Straw Weaving of Belarus" in the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The Belarusian craft of straw weaving is a complex of knowledge, skills and artistic techniques for processing straw, as well as ideas about the spiritual value and symbolism of this material and products. The history of straw weaving goes back several centuries. At first it was exclusively a peasant craft, but later the townspeople also began to engage in it. Various utensils, hats, toys and accessories are made from straw. The plasticity and artistic potential of straw are harmoniously and skillfully revealed in the best examples of folk art. The modern art of straw weaving in Belarus is based on folk traditions and is constantly enriched by the creative achievements of individual masters. They skillfully use the expressive, decorative and plastic potential of the straw, traditional knowledge and skills, which are constantly enriched with new artistic methods and techniques.

The inclusion of this craft in the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was the result of the joint work of the communities of straw weavers, experts and specialists in the protection of intangible cultural heritage, the National Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus.

With the inclusion of “The Straw Weaving of Belarus”, the list of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage  includes five Belarusian elements. Previously included are the festive Christmas rite "Carol Tsars" in the village of Semezhevo (Kopyl district, Minsk region), 2009, "Celebration in honor of the veneration of the Icon of the Mother of God of Budslav (Budslav fest)" in the village of Budslav (Myadel district, Minsk region),2009, "Yuryevsky round dance" in the village of Pogost (Zhitkovichi district, Gomel region), 2019, Culture of beekeeping, 2020.

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