Federal Minister of Culture and Sports Sanja Vlaisavljević opened the Eighth Ćupter Fair in Tepčići near Čitluk, organized by the Society “Ante” Tepčići – Čitluk. On that occasion, the minister presented the award for the best ćupter to the first-place winner, thereby additionally supporting the efforts and skills of those who preserve this valuable Herzegovinian tradition (ćupter = a traditional, disk-shaped gummy dessert from Herzegovina).

In her address, Vlaisavljević pointed out that the preservation of cultural heritage is much more than the preservation of customs and objects from the past. Heritage is a living testimony of identity, history and civilizational continuity, and its special value lies precisely in the knowledge, skills and customs that are passed down from generation to generation.

In particular, she spoke about how the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports is completing the process of registering the Herzegovinian ćupter on the preliminary UNESCO list. It is an important step towards the international recognition and affirmation of this unique traditional value, but it also confirms that local heritage deserves the institutional protection and wider visibility that the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports provides.

Herzegovinan ćupter is much more than a traditional dessert. In its preparation, the knowledge, skills and experience of generations are preserved, as well as the peculiarities of the climate from which it originates.

The minister made a point by pointing out that events like the Ćupter Fair do not remain only in the memory, but make us alive, bring the community together and transmit its values ​​to new generations.

This year, the fair gathered numerous lovers of heritage, tradition and local products from Herzegovina, all those who, with their knowledge, effort and enthusiasm, preserve the values ​​inherited from previous generations.