A UNESCO committee has put Petrykivka decorative painting on the intangible cultural heritage list at a session in Baku, the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Council press service reports. Last year the oblast’s leadership nominated Petrykivka painting for this status which was also sought by the Argentine tango. The capital of Azerbaijan hosted the other day the 8th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage. The participants discussed the nominations of new customs and creative forms to be added to the organization’s list. About 780 representatives from 116 countries took part in the event.
The Ukrainian delegation, which got Petrykivka painting inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, was led by Yevhen Udod, Chairman of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Council. “You cannot possibly march confidently to the future unless you remember your roots,” he said. “Preserving cultural heritage is of paramount importance today. UNESCO is playing a crucial part in this matter. We are pleased to see the art of Petrykivka painting experience a renaissance of sorts today. Petrykivka painting has already become a hallmark of Ukraine. It is a success for not only the Dnipropetrovsk region, but also Ukraine as a whole.”
The granting of this status allows us to expect international, including financial, support for the preservation and development of Petrykivka painting. The press service says the current Baku session will mark the 10th anniversary of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage adopted in 2003. The intangible cultural heritage also includes masterpieces of the oral folk art, such as folklore, the performing arts, folk traditions and rites.
