Traditional techniques and ceremonies of the Greek islands are registered

in the National Index of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece

By decision of the Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni, customs, traditional arts and social ceremonies from the insular region of Greece are registered in the National Index of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece. Specifically, the Andriotic Bengera, the Melekouni of Rhodes, pottery of Sifnos, the festivals of Ikaria, the Mantras of Lemnos and the Kalantira of Nisyros are inscribed.

Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni said:

“Recognizing the promotion and preservation of those elements that the institutions themselves consider critical to their collective identity, history and culture, we are inscribing traditional practices and ceremonies of the residents of Islands in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, actively contributing to the enrichment and promotion of respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. With a sense of responsibility, as a State, in cooperation with the local communities, we act in accordance with the necessity for promotion, preservation and intergenerational inheritance, we highlight those elements of our insular country that are an expression of the particular collective identity of each place, we protect and preserve the various expressions of our intangible cultural heritage”.