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Invaluable heritage passed through generations. Negliubka weavers honored in Minsk
MINSK, 29 December (BelTA) - A ceremonial event marking the inclusion of the Belarusian element “Negliubka Textile Tradition of Vetka District” in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List took place at the National Library of Belarus, BelTA has learned.
During its 20th session in New Delhi on 9 December, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO) decided to inscribe the element of intangible cultural heritage ‘Negliubka textile tradition of Vetka District Gomel Oblast’ on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
“Our collective, multi-year work has culminated in success. This Belarusian element has become the 7th on the list. I congratulate all of us on this historic milestone,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Igor Sekreta said.
According to him, this is not merely a formal procedure but a global recognition of the exceptional value of the living heritage of the Belarusian people, the acknowledgement of the craftsmanship, spiritual depth, and creative power of many generations of residents in Vetka District, who have carefully preserved and passed down these unique techniques for centuries.
“We are particularly acutely aware that traditions like Negliubka weaving, which carry in their patterns encoded wishes for kindness, peace, love, and prosperity, are the strongest foundations of peace and cultural self-identification. I am absolutely convinced that such traditions and crafts are part of our cultural code and sovereignty,” Igor Sekreta added.
Igor Sekreta also noted that even in culture, attempts are sometimes made to draw artificial dividing lines. However, contrary to these trends, this event has served as a vivid demonstration that cultural heritage belongs to all of humanity. “Heritage is not a subject of dispute but a key to mutual understanding. Our success has shown that only through respect for the sovereign cultural choice of each nation can we preserve the invaluable legacy of past and future generations,” he emphasized.
According to Belarusian Culture Minister Ruslan Chernetsky, the active recruitment of apprentices by Negliubka masters will provide an impetus and facilitate its dynamic development. “First and foremost, I would like to thank our masters who have nurtured this tradition over nearly 400 years into such incredible beauty and a truly unique cultural code encrypted in these ritual towels ('rushnyks'). I bow deeply to you for your dedication, selflessness, and for your profound love of your craft, culture, people, and land,” Ruslan Chernetsky remarked.
He also thanked colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov for their coordinated interagency work, emphasizing that such cooperation helps create new celebrations that showcase Belarusian unique art to the world.
“I was introduced to this craft when I got married. I myself am not from Negliubka, but I was drawn to their 'rushnyks'. In 1982, I started working as a weaver at a branch of the Gomel Artistic Goods Factory, and when it closed, I moved to work at a club, which was later reorganized into a rural weaving center. Today, my daughter is also involved in this work,” said Lyudmila Kovaleva, a master weaver at the Negliubka Weaving Center of the Vetka Center for Culture and Folk Art.
According to her, there are currently three masters working at the center. “We can weave in five techniques, creating 'rushnyks,' tablecloths, bedspreads, curtains, and other items,” Lyudmila Kovaleva said.
She is confident that such high recognition of the weavers' craft ensures a sustainable future for the tradition, empowering masters to work with conviction and impart their accumulated knowledge to aspiring masters.
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