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Passing tradition on to the next generations
It is a fact that it is not enough merely to enumer-
ate them, to create museums of folk art and to
collect archive material in memory of obsolete
practices. What is required is for young people
in particular not to associate tradition with con-
servatism, to become more sensitive to its fragile
nature and to become themselves engaged in the
process of passing it on to the next generations,
because the future of a country can best be built
upon the traditions of the past.
I thank warmly all those who worked to produce
this publication, those who wrote the texts and
collected the photographs. I also congratulate
all who worked behind the scenes to contribute
in their own way out of sheer love for the tradi-
tions of their country, those who work silently
and discreetly to keep alive the elements of the
intangible cultural heritage of Cyprus. Special
thanks go to the Director of the Cyprus Research
Centre, Mrs Anna Pouradier Duteil-Loizidou,
and her team who worked with enthusiasm in
order to prepare this publication.
Finally, all of us with one voice wish to dedicate
this publication to the memory of Cyprus Uni-
versity Professor Pavlos Pavlou, the first expert
appointed by the Cyprus National Commission
for UNESCO for the Intangible Cultural Herit-
age. It was he, at a very difficult time in his life,
who conceived the idea of publishing this inven-
tory of intangible cultural heritage and saw to it
that even in his absence, the work of the National
Commission will be able to continue unimped-
ed. May he rest in peace.
What is Intangible Cultural Heritage?
By Intangible Cultural Heritage Expert Angel
Nikolaou-Konnari – Associate Professor, De-
partment of History and Archaeology, Univer-
sity of Cyprus
The Convention for the Safeguarding of Intan-
gible Cultural Heritage was adopted at the 32
nd
General Session of UNESCO on 17 October,
2003, and entered into force in 2006. By 17April
2012, 143 states had ratified the Convention. The
Cyprus Republic did so on 24 February 2006.
In June 2008, Cyprus was elected as a member
of the UNESCO Inter-governmental Commission
for the implementation of the Convention and par-
ticipated actively in the Commission’s work until