Handmade glass production on the UNESCO list

Handmade glass is already the ninth Czech item listed among the intangible cultural heritage of UNESCO. The decision was made at the meeting of the international committee of the organization Dec 6, 2023which took place in Botswana.

The nomination was jointly prepared by the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Germany and Spain. On the Czech side, the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic, the National Institute of Folk Culture and the Museum of Glass and Costume Jewellery in Jablonec nad Nisou were involved in the preparations, acting as national coordinator.

Enrollment includes wide range of manual glass production, starting with the production of glass raw material and ending with processing using all manual techniques. Glass grinding, painting, winding beads, making jewelry tubes, etc., are also included here. The interesting thing about the Czech Republic is that we have all glass production techniques represented here.

The Jizera Mountains and glassmaking are inextricably linked. Glass production and glass history are closely intertwined with the history of our entire region. To this day in Jizerky you will come across companies with a long family tradition that is passed down from generation to generation. Local glass products are unique and known far beyond our borders. Listing handcrafted glass among UNESCO's intangible heritage only confirms that we have something to be proud of.