On December 5, within the framework of the eighteenth session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Kasane (Republic of Botswana), the Committee adopted the decision to inscribe the “Gyumri blacksmithing tradition” nomination submitted by the Republic of Armenia on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Blacksmithing has been one of the most popular crafts in Armenia, but as an urban craft, it gained its full expression in Gyumri and flourished in the 19th century. The registration of this national tradition in the representative list of UNESCO is of key importance for ensuring its vitality, appreciation and popularization.
Note: The Republic of Armenia ratified the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) in 2006. In following years, the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity included the following elements submitted by Armenia: “Duduk and its music” (2008), “Armenian cross-stones art. Symbolism and craftsmanship of Khachkars” (2010), “Performance of the Armenian epic of ‘Daredevils of Sassoun’ or ‘David of Sassoun’” (2012), “Lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia” (2014), “Kochari, traditional group dance” (2017), “Armenian letter art and its cultural expressions” (2018), “Pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus Apostle Monastery” (2020), joint application with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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