Spišský hrad (Spiš Castle) (source: Peter Baňas (Spectacular Slovakia))
On Thursday February 9, Slovakia will celebrate 30 years as a member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
"UNESCO has significantly supported Slovakia's national development over the past decades. Its cultural, natural and intangible heritage has gained international recognition thanks to this organisation," says Anna Plassat Muríňová, permanent delegate of the Slovak Republic to UNESCO in Paris.
"A strong commitment to protect and preserve this heritage for future generations has also been formed," she added.
Many entries
Three Slovak sites were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List as the country joined - Spiš Castle and its surroundings, the medieval town of Banská Štiavnica in central Slovakia, and the village of Vlkolínec, north Slovakia, with its picturesque wooden houses.
In 2000, the town of Bardejov, eastern Slovakia, was added, followed by the wooden churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathian mountain range in 2008, and the town of Levoča a year later.
In 2021, two Roman military camps joined the list - the Gerulata camp in Bratislava-Rusovce, and Kelemantia in Iža near Komárno, south Slovakia.
Meanwhile, the Slovak Karst caves and the Carpathian beech forests have been included in the list of natural monuments and Slovakia also has nine entries in UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage: fujara, an overtone flute, tinkery, blueprint, puppetry, falconry, and others. Last year, the tradition of Lipizzan horse breeding was added to the list.
Important committee
As of July last year, Slovakia has been active in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee.
"This is a historic success for the country because it is one of UNESCO's most important committees, and until now we have not been represented on it. Our election is clearly an appreciation of work, both of the country's experts in the field of intangible cultural heritage, and diplomacy," says Plassat Muríňová.
The organization is based in Paris and currently has 193 member states.
