Irina Cajal: “Over the last decade, UNESCO has included on its representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage two of Romania’s national folk elements: the traditional song doina and Calusarii, a traditional male group dance. We are deeply grateful for the recognition you’ve decided to give us this year as well, by including the Horezu ceramics on your list, another iconic element for Romania’s cultural identity”.

The decision compels Romania to protect this craft and to ensure its survival throughout the generations to come. According to UNESCO’s website, the production of Horezu ceramics is a unique traditional craft, mastered by both men and women. Potters select and then extract the clay which they subsequently clean, cut, water, knead and turn into a paste they then use to produce a red pottery. Each earthenware object is shaped according to specific techniques, decorated using traditional motifs and vivid colours. The director of the Romanian Peasant Museum, Virgil Nitulescu, makes an appeal for making sure this unique technique does not get lost:

Virgil Nitulescu: “There are a few Intangible Cultural Heritage items on this representative list, which is why I believe we Romanians are compelled to ensure the continuation of this technique. It is important to know that if the practice of crafting ceramics, using the same material and tools as today were lost, then the element would be taken off the list. It will remain on the list as long as the practice stays alive”.

At present, Romania is ranked 42nd on the list of 122 UNESCO-listed countries, with 31 historical and natural monuments on UNESCO’s World Heritage list and 3 elements on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Moreover, UNESCO short-listed another 14 national monuments pending their final inclusion on the organization’s World Heritage list.