In the announcement, the First Lady described the Paraguayan Ñai’ũpo as «the clay of our land, shaped thanks to the knowledge of our craftswomen,» while the President emphasized that the Ñai’ũpo «is a living expression of our identity, preserved thanks to the dedication of generations of women.»
Both stressed the importance of strengthening safeguarding efforts to ensure that this tradition continues to inspire new generations.
The decision was adopted at the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, currently taking place in New Delhi, India, where dossiers from various countries are being evaluated for inclusion on the international lists.
The Ñai’ũpo was assessed within the traditional crafts category, with recognition that it is a vulnerable technique requiring urgent protection measures due to the decline in practitioners and the socio-economic changes that affect its transmission.
Paraguay’s submission highlights that the Ñai’ũpo encompasses not only a hand-molding technique using clay without a potter’s wheel, but also a body of knowledge, community practices, symbolism, and connections with the natural environment.
Its transmission has historically rested in the hands of women artisans from communities such as Itá and Tobatí, who continue working with clay using methods handed down from their mothers and grandmothers.
With this inscription, the Ñai’ũpo joins the list of Paraguayan cultural expressions recognized by UNESCO, and the country assumes the commitment to implement safeguarding plans that include training programs, incentives for craft production, documentation of the process, and actions to strengthen intergenerational transmission.
The decision of the Intergovernmental Committee grants Paraguay an international platform to showcase the richness of its living heritage and to reaffirm the role of artisan communities as guardians of a legacy that is now part of humanity’s cultural heritage.