UNESCO has underscored the urgency of preserving records tied to intangible cultural heritage, placing a spotlight on Ukrainian borsch, a beet-based soup that many see as a symbol of national culinary identity. The framing comes amid ongoing regional tensions, where food traditions are entangled with questions of history, memory, and shared regional heritage. UNESCO’s emphasis highlights how such dishes can carry significance beyond taste, serving as living archives of communities, migrations, and intergenerational knowledge (UNESCO, 2024).
UNESCO stated that armed conflict endangers the continuity of these traditions. It notes that displacement disrupts not only daily life but also the ability to cook and access essential ingredients required for authentic borsch. The statement points to the social fabric of communities that rely on shared meals to maintain communal bonds, cultural memory, and a sense of belonging, all of which are at risk when people are forced to flee or when markets for beet, cabbage, and other ingredients are disrupted (UNESCO, 2024).
In a note accompanying its call to protect the dish, UNESCO advised readers to approach statements about ownership with care, acknowledging that the tradition of borsch exists across multiple Eastern European regions. Ukraine submitted its candidacy to register the soup in 2021, prior to the February 2022 invasion, underscoring that cultural traditions often cross national borders and are shaped by long histories of exchange and adaptation (UNESCO, 2021; UNESCO, 2024).
UNESCO clarified that preserving the borsch tradition does not imply exclusive ownership of the recipe or its cultural property. The organization emphasized that the dish is prepared and enjoyed in various forms across neighboring countries, including Poland, where versions of beet soup are also a cherished staple. This framing reflects a broader understanding of intangible heritage as a shared regional legacy rather than a single national monopoly (UNESCO, 2024).
Evidence from Ukraine’s candidacy file shows long-standing market activity related to borsch, with historical records dating back to the 16th century near Kyiv, illustrating how immigrant communities helped disseminate the dish globally. The file documents how Ukrainian migrants introduced the soup to new audiences, contributing to its international recognition as part of a collective culinary heritage. This history highlights how foodways travel and transform as people migrate and connect with other cultures (UNESCO, 2024).
On the other side of the narrative, some accounts from Russia trace the dish to earlier Slavic roots, invoking historical periods when the concept of modern nation-states did not exist. Proponents of this view point to the ancient origins of the borsch recipe within the broader Slavic world, suggesting that modern claims of exclusivity should be viewed through the lens of shared heritage rather than unilateral ownership (UNESCO, 2024).
Beyond its culinary components, borsch has been celebrated as a cultural touchstone—paired with sour cream and vegetables like beets, cabbage, potatoes, and tomatoes, and often enriched with meat. The dish’s versatility, in which ingredients can vary by region and season, illustrates how intangible heritage evolves while maintaining a recognizable character that resonates with people across borders. The community’s social rituals around preparing and sharing borsch remain central to its enduring appeal and significance (UNESCO, 2024).
Registration on the Representative List of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has practical implications. It can broaden access to grants and elevate international visibility for thousands of traditions worldwide. While the borsch case centers on a specific dish, the inscription process exemplifies how intangible heritage programs aim to safeguard diverse cultures while encouraging dialogue, exchange, and respectful collaboration among communities—often including diasporas and neighbors who have contributed to the dish’s global journey (UNESCO, 2024).