On the occasion of the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the traditional Romanian Blouse "ie" (worn above by H.E. Ambassador Miculescu) has been included in the UNESCO Heritage. The committee has officially enshrined "the art of the traditional blouse with embroidery on the shoulder (altiţă) — an element of cultural identity in Romania and the Republic of Moldova" on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision, which animated Romanians' hearts and minds, came after Romania and the Republic of Moldova have jointly submitted to UNESCO a dossier on “The Art of the Traditional Blouse with Embroidery on the Shoulder (Altiță) - an Element of Cultural Identity of Romania and the Republic of Moldova”.
Enjoying a wide geographical and cultural spread which overlaps with the Romanian cultural space and a multi-millenary historical heritage, the traditional Romanian blouse with embroidery on the shoulder ("altiţă") is part of the Romanian and Republic of Moldova traditional clothing. While the styles and techniques of the "ie" vary according to the region and the wearer’s age, as well as to the skills of the women who create the blouses, the ornaments range from geometric and stylised registers to organic shapes. The colours of the “ie” vary from black to vivid.
In fact, the news of the official inclusion of the Romanian “ie” in the UNESCO World Heritage List came at a moment of particular resonance for Romanians all over the world, namely the celebration of the Romanian Unification Day, marking the unification of Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina with the Romanian Kingdom in 1918, also known as the Great Union.
On the occasion, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Simona-Mirela Miculescu, the architect of the Romanian diplomatic demarche at UNESCO, also Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Delegate of Romania to UNESCO since January 2021, agreed to share with IRSEA her thoughts on Romania’s diplomatic success:<<Me and my team from the Permanent Delegation of Romania to UNESCO are very proud to have fully participated in this extraordinary national endeavor to inscribe the Romanian Blouse on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. I will never forget the overwhelming joy of this blessed day, which was under the sign of the memorable words of the ethnologist Sorin Apan: "The traditional costume is a real temple to the bearer, an imago mundi…" Kudos to all those involved in generating this hard-earned victory, but above all, my deep gratitude to the communities and associations without whom we could not enjoy this national treasure, this wonderful sequence of collective memory, this red thread of our ancestral history… It was, for us, an unforgettable week - from the magical triumph of the National Opera on the UNESCO stage, to the exciting historical moments for the Romanian (and now world’s) Intangible Heritage: the two symbolic gifts given to Romania on its National Day - the inscription of the Romanian Blouse and of the Lipizzani Horses! >>
A remarkable top-diplomat and a particularly warm and inspiring person, Ambassador Miculescu held the position of Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Head of the UN Office in Belgrade between 2015 and 2020.
Prior to this, Her Excellency was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Romania to the United Nations, between 2008 and 2015. During her term in New York, Ambassador Miculescu held several positions, including Vice-President of the UNICEF Executive Board, Vice-President of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Vice-President of the Bureau of the Francophonie, Chair of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee of the General Assembly during its 66th Session, Vice-President of the UN General Assembly for its 68th Session, and Chair of the 53rd Session of the UN Commission for Social Development.
Ambassador Miculescu’s 30 years of highly-successful diplomatic career include the positions of Spokesperson for the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Senior Media Advisor to the Minister (1993 and 1999), Director of the Press Department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1994 and 2008), Press Secretary of the Embassy of Romania to the US (1994-1998), or Senior Public Information Officer at the Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Kosovo (1999-2000).
Between 2000 and 2004, she served as Foreign Policy Adviser to the President of Romania (with rank of minister), becoming eventually the first woman in the Romanian diplomatic history to be granted the rank of Ambassador.
Between 2006 and 2007, she acted as Senior Advisor for Public Outreach to the Government of Iraq, within a USAID-funded project.
Amb. Miculescu holds the titles of Doctor Honoris Causa Beneficiorum Publicorum of the Western University in Timișoara, as well as the title of Doctor Magna Cum Laudae of the Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca. This is due to the fact that, in parallel with her diplomatic career, she has developed a rich academic and public communication experience, which includes teaching international public relations courses at two universities in Romania, as well as publishing several books and articles on related topics.
In Romania, Ambassador Miculescu is recognized as one of the best experts in the field of international public relations management, being appreciated especially due to the elaboration of the first university curriculum on this subject, a study program currently used by several universities. Ambassador Miculescu is also an honorary member of IRSEA.
Deeply moved by the particular achievement registered by Romania, through the outstanding diplomatic skills, experience and expertise of Ambassador Miculescu, Ambassador (p) Gheorghe Savuica, Founding President of IRSEA, has personally congratulated Ambassador Miculescu. While conveying his most sincere well wishes to Ambassador Miculescu, Ambassador Savuica noted that UNESCO’s official recognition of the Romanian traditional blouse “Is a rare gift that our people is both honored and happy to receive on the National Day of our country.”
The universal recognition granted to the Romanian traditional blouse also represents a reminder of the beautiful and common traditions shared by both Romania and the Republic of Moldova. As part of the Romanian legacy, the "ie" has been passed down, with love, care and scrupulousness, through generations. A symbol of Romanian femininity and traditions, the Romanian blouse continues to hold high the banner of Romania worldwide, as an intangible cultural value that Romania is glad and proud to share with the World.