The Committee
- Takes note that Cyprus has nominated Commandaria wine (No. 02288) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
Commandaria wine is a traditional sweet red wine made in a group of villages on the southern slopes of the Troodos mountains. It is closely tied to the natural environment and involves using local grape varieties and traditional winemaking techniques. These include harvesting the grapes late in the season, drying them in the sun, and ageing the wine in oak barrels. Families, cooperatives and wineries of various sizes are involved in the production of commandaria wine, and the related knowledge and skills are passed down informally during farm work, family events, festivals and celebrations.
- Considers that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
R.1: Community groups, wine professionals and government authorities work together to safeguard the tradition and support commandaria wine producers. A key part of social customs, religious rituals and food traditions, commandaria wine is closely tied to other traditional crafts like drystone walling, basket weaving and pottery. It is mainly served as a dessert wine during special events such as weddings, funerals and religious ceremonies and is often offered to guests as a symbol of generosity and hospitality. Making and sharing commandaria wine supports social bonds and encourages cooperation among community members. A strong identifying factor and source of local pride, the element connects people to their land, history and communities.
R.2: The strong link between the cultural practice and nature conservation is evident, attesting to the contribution of this element to sustainable development. Its connection with inclusive economic development is also clear, since the appreciation of agricultural practices and products can provide income and quality of life for producers. In addition, cohesion can be strengthened in the community councils in producing villages.
R.3: A series of safeguarding measures have been presented and justified, involving both communities and government agencies. For communities, the measures include participating in events such as tasting days, exhibitions and festivals. At the state level, actions are being taken in the areas of tourism, intellectual property protection and education for knowledge transmission.
R.4: The nomination process was based on a multi-sectoral participatory approach, involving the widest possible involvement and with the free, prior and informed consent of various stakeholders, from producers to local authorities and experts.
R.5: The element was inscribed in the Cyprus National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2020. The Cyprus National Commission for UNESCO is the entity responsible for its maintenance and regular updating, in collaboration with the Expert Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage of Cyprus. The inventory is updated every year with the addition of new elements and the updating of the existing entries as a result of the inclusion of more communities or relevant stakeholders. Communities, groups and non-governmental organizations participate actively in the inventorying process.
- Decides to inscribe Commandaria wine on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.