The Committee

1. Takes note that Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, the Republic of Moldova and Turkey have nominated Spring celebration: Hıdrellez or Saint George’s day (No. 01006) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:

Hıdrellez or Saint George’s Day is celebrated on 6 May or 23 April to mark the reawakening of nature among different communities in Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, Republic of Moldova and Turkey. The figures of Hıdır, İlyas and Saint George are considered as protectors of nature and water and as helpers of families and communities. Different ceremonies and rituals linked to nature are performed in each locale to promote well-being, fertility and prosperity, and to protect livestock and crops for the coming year. They provide a sense of identity and belonging to families, local and wider communities, and nationalities. Baking ritual bread, ritual milking, common feasts, spreading water on fields, processions with vegetal carnival masks, ritual baths, carrying green willow branches, lighting fires, making garlands and ritual dancing and singing are part of the festivities in the various countries. The knowledge and skills are actively transmitted from one generation to the next, through the involvement of family members, groups or communities, who have distinct roles in transmission such as organizing sport competitions, singing songs, cooking special meals and sacrificing animals, depending on the local specificities.

2. Decides that the information included in the file is not sufficient to allow the Committee to determine whether the following criteria for inscription on the Representative List are satisfied:

R.1:   Information is needed to demonstrate the unifying aspects and common core of the element and to provide a more holistic description; the contours and scope of the element as a single expression of heritage should be clarified;

R.2:   The identity and common core of the element are not evident and information is therefore needed to demonstrate that its inscription would contribute to awareness of the intangible cultural heritage in general and of its significance;

R.3:   Information is required to demonstrate that well-formulated and consistent safeguarding measures are planned in each State, and a comparable level of information on safeguarding measures from one submitting State to another is needed;

R.4:   While communities and bearers in all submitting States participated actively in the nomination process, information is required to demonstrate that they have provided free, prior and informed consent to the present multinational nomination concerning a single expression;

R.5:   Although information was provided concerning intangible cultural heritage inventories within all submitting States, additional information is needed to demonstrate that the element as nominated is included therein.

3. Further decides to refer the nomination of Spring celebration: Hıdrellez or Saint George’s day to the submitting States Parties and invites them to resubmit the nomination to the Committee for examination during a following cycle;
4. Commends the spirit of intercultural cooperation underlying the nomination and encourages the submitting States to continue working together, with the widest possible participation of the communities concerned, to define a shared element of appropriate scope and scale.