TIRANA, Feb 28 /ATA/ - Albania has added several traditional dances and craft practices to its National Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.

The decision, taken by the National Council of Intangible Cultural Heritage, designates the Eel Dance (Vallja e Ngjalës), the Myzeqe Double Dance (Vallja Dyshe Myzeqare), the traditional knowledge and use of the Zadrima women’s costume, and the craft of making the qeleshe - the traditional Albanian felt cap also known as plisi - as “National Values of Intangible Cultural Heritage.”

Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said the newly listed elements represent important components of the country’s spiritual and cultural legacy and will now form part of the assets protected and promoted by the Albanian state.

The Council assessed a number of practices and traditions that continue to sustain the cultural identity of communities across different regions of the country.

The newly recognised elements also include the tradition of decorative needle lacework, alongside the craftsmanship involved in producing the felt cap in its various forms.

Gonxhja said the designation aims not only to preserve and document these traditions, but also to promote and transmit them to younger generations through cultural policies, educational activities and support for the communities that keep them alive.

The ministry will continue efforts to identify, protect and promote other elements of intangible cultural heritage, viewing them as both a valuable national asset and a driver of cultural and tourism development, he added.

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