Cremona Makes UNESCO List
Cremona's violin-making tradition noted for its cultural significance.
In recognition of Cremona’s violin-making tradition, the United Nations has added “Traditional Violin Craftsmanship in Cremona” to its 2012 list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The list, released by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), was created to help demonstrate the diversity of intangible heritage practices and expressions and raise awareness about its importance.
The nomination for Italy’s lone spot on this year’s list came after lobbying by two violin-making organizations, Consorzio Liutai Antonio Stradivari and Associazione Liutaria Italiana. As part of the recognition, the list cites several reasons for the selection, including the tradition of training violin makers through apprenticeship programs and formal schooling, use of skill and “manual inventiveness,” and the efforts to safeguard the tradition of violin making by governmental and non-governmental organizations.
