The International Tocatì Festival and the Traditional Games of Cyprus are included in the UNESCO List of Good Practices for the preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
This took place during the 17th Session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was held in Rabat, Morocco, from November 28 to December 3, 2022.
A press release says that Cyprus’ participation in the UNESCO Good Practice List with Tocatì register is noteworthy, as it “contributes to the preservation and promotion of traditional games and sports to people of all ages, also leading to a network of value through cooperation with inspiring partners from Cyprus and abroad.”
Tocatì is hosted every year in Verona, Italy and is a programme with multinational application (Belgium, Cyprus, Croatia, France and Italy) for the preservation of traditional games and sports.
In particular, the Tocatì joint programme has been developed over the years thanks to an international network of communities, groups and individuals, including professionals and operators of traditional games and sports and is supported by local, national and international bodies and associations.
Since 2018, Cyprus has been represented in the network and the Tocatì Festival by the “Ktima” Folklore Society – Paphos, which participates in traditional game events, cultural events with its music and dance groups and presents through seminars and workshops its research on documentation and preservation of Cypriot traditional games.
The press release says that many of the traditional Easter games have ancient Greek and Byzantine roots, thus proving the historical continuity of the tradition and the importance of socialisation and collective fun in important celebrations and events of the people.
Source: Cyprus News Agency