The Universal Day of the Romanian Blouse is an opportunity to celebrate the creativity, diligence and craftsmanship of the women who have created and passed down through generations the traditions associated with making the ie with alti?a, from weaving the fabric to tailoring the garment and selecting its distinctive ornaments, the Culture Ministry said on Wednesday.

'On Romanian Blouse Day, the Culture Ministry expresses its gratitude to all those who contribute to preserving and promoting Romania's intangible cultural heritage. Its true value lies not only in the objects themselves, held in museum collections in Romania and abroad, but above all in the knowledge, techniques and talent of the people who bring them to life and pass them on,' the ministry said in a statement posted on Facebook.

Romanian Blouse Day is celebrated annually on June 24 and was officially recognised through Law No. 184/2022, following nearly a decade during which the occasion had been marked at the initiative of Romanian diaspora communities and promoters of Romanian cultural identity worldwide.

International recognition of these practices culminated in the inscription of the multinational file 'The Art of the Blouse with Altita - an Element of Cultural Identity in Romania and the Republic of Moldova' on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 1, 2022, in Rabat, Morocco. The file was prepared by experts under the coordination of Romania's Culture Ministry in cooperation with the Culture Ministry of the Republic of Moldova.

The blouse with altita (the decorative shoulder panel of the traditional Romanian blouse, Editor's note), the central piece of traditional women's costume, continues to be worn today during religious celebrations, family ceremonies and cultural and community events. Known by various local names, including ciupag (traditional embroidered blouse), spacel (short traditional blouse), manecar (blouse distinguished by its ornate sleeves), camasa rasucita (twisted-cut shirt) and camesa cu lancez (traditional shirt with decorative side inserts), it reflects the cultural diversity of the regions where it is made while preserving a common structure and identity function linked to its distinctive cut and rich ornamentation.

According to the ministry, Romania also celebrates Sanziene on June 24, one of the most important festivals in the traditional Romanian calendar. In 2021, 'Cultural Practices Associated with June 24 - Sanziene and Dragaica' were included in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage as an expression of the relationship between human communities and nature at the beginning of summer.

The Ministry of Culture continues to implement and monitor the safeguarding measures undertaken through the UNESCO file, in partnership with practitioners' communities, museums, academia and cultural organisations.

'These efforts aim to support the transmission of traditional craftsmanship, the continued documentation and research of the element, the promotion of authentic practices and support for the women artisans who keep this heritage alive,' the ministry added. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Popescu; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)