MINSK, 23 December (BelTA) - The inclusion of Belarusian vytsinanka into the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is a big event for our country, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maksim Ryzhenkov said at an event in the National Art Museum in Minsk on 23 December, BelTA learned.
The decision to include the element of intangible cultural heritage “Vytsinanka, the traditional art of paper cutting in Belarus” in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was taken on 4 December.
The minister noted that many things and events have happened to the country over centuries, many monuments of art and architecture, such as the cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk, have been lost.
“What we can show internationally and pass on to our grandchildren is the intangible spiritual heritage. We are happy to celebrate the UNESCO decision to to give the status to the Belarusian vytsinanka together with you ,” the Belarusian top diplomat said.
Maksim Ryzhenkov emphasized that many people associate vytsinanka with their childhood, when they cut out simple elements from paper. The minister shared that he was taught how to do vytsinanka by his grandmother, and his grandmother was taught by her grandmother. This art, which has carried the genetic code of Belarusians over centuries, is indeed passed through generations. 
"We are proud of it. It is our identity," the minister said. He pointed out that giving a high international status shines a new light on Belarusian vytsinanka.
The minister also emphasized that Belarus has been cooperating with UNESCO for 70 years. "We are working to ensure that all countries can show themselves through UNESCO," the minister emphasized.
During its 19th session, the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage decided to include Belarus’ nomination “Vytsinanka, the traditional art of paper cutting in Belarus” in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Vytsinanka is a traditional art of paper-cutting widely spread in Belarus. The craft, which originated in the 16th century, is now gaining a second wind. Exquisite and widely recognized as an element of Belarusian culture, the art of vytsinanka is actively used in the exterior and interior decoration of private homes and public places, such as offices, restaurants, cultural institutions, and theater sets. It is also an integral part of traditional festivals.
Vytsinanka is becoming increasingly creative, and its delicate designs are transferred to fabric and used as an element of clothing. Modern vytsinanka covers many themes reflecting the Belarusian way of life: admiration of nature, Belarusian history, mythology, customs and beliefs, rural and urban life. It is one of the aesthetic foundations of the Belarusian mentality and culture.
The inclusion of this craft in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity became possible due to the joint work of vytsinanka artisans and experts in the protection of intangible cultural heritage, the National Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, the Culture Ministry, the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Delegation of Belarus to UNESCO.
