VIDEO: UNESCO Put Croatian Klapa Singing On Protection List

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has this week inscribed Klapa multipart singing of Dalmatia, southern Croatia on its List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at a meeting in Paris.

Klapa, or a capella type singing, has a long tradition in the region and is usually performed with the leader of each singing group as the first tenor, followed by several tenori, baritoni and basi voices. During performances, the singers stand in a tight semicircle. The first tenor starts the singing and is followed by the others. The main aim is to achieve the best possible blend of voices.

The Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage established by UNESCO aim to ensure the better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.

It was decided recently that a Klapa group would represent Croatia at the next Eurovision song contest in Sweden. Topics of klapa songs usually deal with love, life situations, and the environment in which they live.