THE BEEKEEPING HERITAGE OF KYTHERA

The Beekeeping Tradition of Kythera is now inscribed in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Greece!

According to the Ministry of Culture:

"In Kythera, where the Virgin Mary "the Evil Bee" is revered, beekeeping has had a timeless influence on the island's agri-food tradition, customs, rituals, proverbs, literature and place names, forming an integral part of the local identity. Humans and nature, meadows with rare herbs, pollinators and beekeepers work in harmony to produce the precious honey, which holds a place of honour in every Kytherian household. This is the experiential knowledge stemming from centuries of beekeeping heritage, which has shaped and inspired the society of Kythera and represents a rich living tradition in need of promotion and preservation".

Congratulations to the KYTHERIAN FOUNDATION FOR CULTURE & DEVELOPMENT for taking the initiative to prepare and submit the application file to the Ministry of Culture - an effort that resulted in this historic distinction for Kythera, for our traditional beekeeping, and for beekeeping worldwide.

Through the action "Traditional beekeeping in movable-comb hives", BEELOSOPHY aims to contribute to the promotion, preservation, and safeguard of the Greek traditional method of beekeeping using movable- comb hives. Kythera is the only place in the world where, historically, movable-comb hives of various types were exclusively used. The inscription of the Beekeeping Tradition of Kythera in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage strengthens the capacity of traditional beekeeping communities to share their cultural experience, speak about their collective identity, and present proposals for preserving beekeeping heritage. It therefore significantly contributes to the goals of the aforementioned action.

The action

TRADITIONAL BEEKEEPING IN MOVABLE-COMB HIVES (ATTICA & KYTHERA)

is implemented with financial support and under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture