Moldova will have a National Registry of Intangible Cultural Heritage (RNPCI) for the first time. The project was presented on Friday, March 11, at a scientific conference. After a period of debates, it will be submitted to the Parliament, Info-Prim Neo reports. RNPCI is an inventorying system through which the state will register elements of the intangible cultural heritage, including literary, musical and dances folklore, customs, beliefs about man and nature, traditional institutions, technical knowledge about Moldova’s crafts, theater. The 50 files included in the Registry also comprise elements related to phrases and expressions, recipes of traditional Moldovan dishes, etc. Attending the event, Minister of Culture Boris Focsasaid Moldova was obliged to have such a Registry since ratifying the UNESCO Convention on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in 2006. “Intangible dictated the tangible, and Moldova is a country of beautiful traditions and customs, which should be kept by any means. Including them in the Registry means safeguarding our culture for future generations”, he said. “It’s hugely important to monitor intangible heritage, to promote it through laws and activities. We must assure its continuity though schools, education and we should practice it. We have neighbors that are really active in this domain”, said Valeriu Buzila, vice director of the National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History of Moldova. The Ministry of Culture launched the site www.patrimoniuimatereial.md, which contains information about the legal framework related to intangible heritage, archives, and institutions of research and protection of intangible heritage. The development of RNPCI is funded by UNESCO Regional Bureau for Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Moldova and Russia. Moldova will develop a second Registry of Intangible Heritage, which will include in the cultural heritage of ethnic groups within the country.