The Armenian government has decided to expand its current List of Cultural Heritage from fifty-one to sixty-eight elements.

According to UNESCO, cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.

The Armenian government plans to add Armenian miniature painting, the dialects of Ararat and Karin, dolma, (stuffed food dishes) and the traditional candle-shaped walnut candy known as “sweet sujukh” to the list.

The government argues expanding the list will facilitate the submission of future applications for registration on the UNESCO list.

UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage now includes eight elements from the above fifty-one.

1 – Duduk and its music

2 - Armenian cross-stones art. Symbolism and craftsmanship of Khachkars

3 - Performance of the Armenian epic of 'Daredevils of Sassoun' or 'David of Sassoun'

4 -  Lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in Armenia

5 - Kochari, traditional group dance

6 - Armenian letter art and its cultural expressions

7 - Pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus Apostle Monastery

8 - Tradition of blacksmithing in Gyumri

Readers will be interested to learn that Turkey now has thirty elements in the UNESCO List including:

1 - Flatbread making and sharing culture: (Lavash, Katyrma, Jupka, Yufka)

2 -  Turkish coffee culture and tradition

3 - Ceremonial Keşkek tradition (also known as Harissa in Armenian)