UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which met in Rabat, Morocco, from 28 November to 3 December 2022, inscribed the nomination Beekeeping in Slovenia, a Way of Life, submitted by Slovenia in March 2021, on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The nomination was highlighted by UNESCO’s Evaluation Body as an example of good practice in its preparation.

On 1 December 2022, at its 17th session, the Intergovernmental Committee endorsed the recommendation of UNESCO’s Evaluation Body that the nomination Beekeeping in Slovenia, a Way of Life be inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List.

In 2015, an initiative to inscribe beekeeping in the national Register of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was submitted to the Slovene Ethnographic Museum, which performs the tasks of the Coordinator for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. In cooperation with the bearers and with the support of the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association, the Coordinator prepared several proposals related to this field, which were inscribed into the Register between 2018 and 2020. The elements of intangible cultural heritage inscribed into the Register are: Beekeeping; Painting of Beehive Panels; Migratory Beekeeping; Making of Beehives and Apiaries; Breeding of Carniolan Queen Bees; and Apitherapy. The elements Gingerbread Making and the Making of Small Breads and Wooden Models are also indirectly related to the proposed element.

In December 2018, the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association established a working group to prepare the nomination for the inscription of beekeeping in Slovenia on UNESCO’s Representative List. The project of preparing and submitting the nomination was led by the Ministry of Culture, represented by Špela Spanžel. The working group that prepared the nomination and the necessary documentation included representatives of the bearers, the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association, the Beekeeping Museum in Radovljica, and the Slovene Ethnographic Museum / Coordinator for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, represented by M.A. Anja Jerin, curator for intangible cultural heritage; M.A. Adela Pukl, curator for spiritual culture; and Barbara Sosič, curator for economic practices, transport and traffic culture.

The nomination presents beekeeping in Slovenia, with an emphasis on its cultural significance. The bearers are beekeepers organised in more than 200 associations united within the Slovenian Beekeepers’ Association. In terms of the number of beekeepers per 1,000 inhabitants, Slovenia ranks among the highest in the world and is also recognised for its expertise and advanced beekeeping technologies. Beekeepers pass on their skills, knowledge and values from generation to generation, which is reflected in their exceptionally positive impact on the wider community and the environment. Distinctive features of beekeeping in Slovenia include the indigenous Carniolan honey bee, apiaries, painted beehive panels, and AŽ hives.

Unescov Medvladni odbor za varovanje nesnovne kulturne dediščine, ki je med 28. novembrom in 3. decembrom 2022 zasedal v Rabatu, Maroko, je na Unescov Reprezentativni seznam nesnovne kulturne dediščine človeštva vpisal nominacijo Čebelarstvo v Sloveniji, način življenja, ki jo je Slovenija oddala marca 2021. Nominacija je bila s strani Unescovega Ocenjevalnega telesa izpostavljena kot zgledno pripravljena.

1. decembra 2022 je Medvladni odbor na svojem 17. zasedanju potrdil priporočilo Unescovega Ocenjevalnega telesa, da se nominacija Čebelarstvo v Sloveniji, način življenja (v izvirniku Beekeeping in Slovenia, a Way of Life), vpiše na Unescov Reprezentativni seznam.

Leta 2015 je bila na Slovenski etnografski muzej, ki opravlja naloge Koordinatorja varstva nesnovne kulturne dediščine, naslovljena pobuda o vpisu čebelarstva v nacionalni Register nesnovne kulturne dediščine. Koordinator je v sodelovanju z nosilci in podporo Čebelarske zveze Slovenije pripravil več predlogov povezanih z omenjenim področjem, ki so bili v register vpisani v obdobju med 2018 in 2020. Enote nesnovne kulturne dediščine, ki so bile vpisane v register, so: Čebelarstvo, Poslikavanje panjskih končnic, Prevozno čebelarstvo, Izdelovanje panjev in čebelnjakov, Vzreja čebeljih matic kranjske čebele in Apiterapija. Posredno sta s predlaganim elementom povezani tudi enoti Lectarstvo in Izdelovanje malih kruhkov in lesenih modelov.

Decembra 2018 je Čebelarska zveza Slovenije oblikovala delovno skupino za pripravo nominacije za vpis čebelarstva v Sloveniji na Unescov Reprezentativni seznam. Projekt priprave in oddaje nominacije je vodilo Ministrstvo za kulturo, zanj Špela Spanžel. V delovni skupini, ki je pripravljala nominacijo in potrebna gradiva za njeno oddajo, so sodelovali predstavniki nosilcev, Čebelarske zveze Slovenije, Čebelarskega muzeja iz Radovljice in Slovenskega etnografskega muzeja / Koordinatorja varstva nesnovne kulturne dediščine, zanj mag. Anja Jerin, kustosinja za nesnovno kulturno dediščino, mag. Adela Pukl, kustosinja za duhovno kulturo, in Barbara Sosič, kustosinja za kulturo gospodarskih načinov, prometa in transporta.

Nominacija obsega predstavitev čebelarstva v Sloveniji, s poudarkom na njegovem kulturnem pomenu. Nosilci so čebelarji, povezani v več kot 200 društev, združenih v Čebelarsko zvezo Slovenije. Po številu čebelarjev na 1.000 prebivalcev se Slovenija uvršča v svetovni vrh, prepoznavna pa je tudi zaradi strokovnosti in naprednih čebelarskih tehnologij. Veščine, znanja in vrednote čebelarji prenašajo iz roda v rod, kar se odraža v izjemno pozitivnem vplivu na širšo skupnost in na okolje. Med značilnosti čebelarstva v Sloveniji sodijo avtohtona kranjska čebela, čebelnjaki, poslikane panjske končnice in AŽ panji.

At the 18th session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held from 5 to 9 December 2023 in Kasane, Botswana, Midwifery: Knowledge, Skills and Practices was inscribed on 6 December 2023 on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, upon the recommendation of UNESCO’s Evaluation Body.

The Republic of Slovenia also participated in the preparation of the nomination file. This was a multinational nomination prepared jointly by Colombia, Cyprus, the Kyrgyz Republic, Luxembourg, Nigeria, Togo and Germany, with Germany coordinating the nomination process. The proposal for the inscription of midwifery in the national Register of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was prepared by the Slovene Ethnographic Museum, acting as the Coordinator for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, based on an initiative prepared by the National Institute of Public Health, represented by Dr Zalka Drglin. The Ministry of Culture inscribed the element into the Register on 14 December 2021.

Midwifery encompasses specialized knowledge and skills related to childbirth assistance for women and newborns. It includes support and interventions during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, as well as breastfeeding and newborn care. The aim is a safe delivery and a high-quality beginning of family life.

Na 18. zasedanju Unescovega Medvladnega odbora za varovanje nesnovne kulturne dediščine, ki je med 5. in 9. 12. 2023 potekalo v mestu Kasane v Bocvani, je bilo 6. 12. 2023, na priporočilo Unescovega ocenjevalnega telesa na Unescov Reprezentativni seznam nesnovne kulturne dediščine človeštva vpisano Babištvo, znanje, veščine in prakse. 

Pri pripravi nominacije je sodelovala tudi Republika Slovenija. Gre za multinacionalno nominacijo, pri pripravi katere so poleg Slovenije sodelovale države Kolumbija, Ciper, Kirgiška republika, Luksemburg, Nigerija, Togo in Nemčija, ki je postopek priprave nominacije tudi koordinirala. Predlog za vpis babištva v nacionalni Register nesnovne kulturne dediščine je pripravil Slovenski etnografski muzej kot Koordinator varstva nesnovne kulturne dediščine na podlagi pobude, ki jo je pripravil Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje, zanj dr. Zalka Drglin. Enoto je Ministrstvo za kulturo v Register vpisalo 14. 12. 2021. 

Babištvo obsega posebna znanja in veščine porodne pomoči, namenjene ženski in otroku. Gre za podporo in posege v nosečnosti, med porodom in po njem, pri dojenju in negi dojenčka. Cilj je dober zaključek poroda in kakovosten začetek družinskega življenja.