“Inclusion of Craft Skills of Gauja Rafters in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List”

Friday, May 12, at At 15:00 in the Great Hall of the Ministry of Culture, an honoring event will be held, which will celebrate the inclusion of the craft skills of the Gauja rafters in the representative list of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Gauja rafters, representatives of Valmiera municipality, Strenči administration, Latvian National Cultural Center, Latvian Academy of Culture, Latvian Union of Municipalities will gather at the event.

On December 1, 2022, in Rabat, Morocco, the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Preservation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage decided to include in the representative list of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity the element of the heritage of several countries “Wood rafting”, which also includes the value of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latvia – the craft skills of the Gauja rafters.

“Inclusion of the craft skills of Gauja rafters in the representative list of UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is a great event not only in Latvia, but also internationally. 15 years ago, our song and dance festival tradition was included in this prestigious list. We can be really proud of the work done by everyone involved over many years, and we should all together appreciate this treasure of intangible heritage, which is carefully cherished and protected by the rafters of Gauja,” says Nauris Puntulis, Minister of Culture, President of the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO.

Multinational application “Tree floating” (Timber Rafting) made up of six countries – Austria, Czech Republic, Latvia, Poland, Spain and Germany. In the 19th century, rafting was a favorite springtime activity of Vidzeme farmers, but in the 20th century, rafts were slowly replaced by the more economically advantageous floating of loose timber in Gauja. In 1996, the tradition was restored by starting an annual raft tying and floating along the Gauja River to Strenči, where it ends with the Gauja rafters’ festival, a special moment of welcoming the raft, the procession and greeting of the Gauja rafters. In 2018, the craft skills of Gauja rafters were included in the Latvian National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

“Looking at the global challenges of today’s world, it is important to recognize intangible cultural heritage as an important resource in promoting sustainable development. Living heritage provides opportunities to strengthen the economic well-being and well-being of communities. As a collection of traditions, beliefs and attitudes preserved for centuries, it can be the basis for sustainable practices in various fields, including tourism, consumption habits, gender equality and education,” he emphasizes Baiba Moļnika, Secretary General of the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO.

UNESCO’s representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is created to ensure greater visibility of intangible cultural heritage and to expand understanding of its importance, as well as to promote dialogue on cultural diversity. Until now, UNESCO’s representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has included the tradition of song and dance festivals (2008) and symbolism in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia from Latvia’s values, while the Suitu cultural space (2009) has been included in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which must be urgently preserved.