Intangible cultural heritage of Ukraine: scientific and practical significance, structure, and development prospects

Current objects of UNESCO’s intangible national and world cultural heritage (here-inafter – World Heritage) have been systematized and the list of nominees for the status of objects of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Ukraine has been expanded, which is con-sidered as an option for partial compensation in the war and post-war period of resource and recreational losses countries; the fragmentary systematization of objects of ethnocultural tourism is reflected in the map-schematic and tabular elements of the presented material. The creation of a research center for the Azov National Park based on the University of Melitopol (Ukraine) and its joining with European universities studying the National Park of their countries is interpreted as one of the scientific and practical triggers for the protection, preservation, and development of the national network of National Park facilities. It is emphasized that the problem of protecting the World Heritage as a whole and ICH as its component is positioned as one of the key priorities of world, European, and national humanitarian development in the 21st century, and the constructive activities of the world community on the protection of ICH, the effective efforts of UNESCO in legal support of the outlined process are a significant factor in the actualization of state policy regarding the conservation and promotion of traditional crafts, folklore, art, and national cuisine. It is noted that the objects of ethnographic and ethnocultural tourism are a kind of benchmarks and beacons of the resource-recreational «fabric» of any country, which radiate the light of its spirit, national history, and culture. At the same time, in modern times of globalism and ultra-globalism, despite the positive dynamics of the number of identified ethnographic tourism locations, and the increase in the number of objects of intangible heritage, their chances of survival are steadily decreasing. Based on the analysis of the statistics of the recruitment of students for the «Tourism» specialty at the Higher Secondary Education in Kyiv (Ukraine) over the past 10 years, a trend of a constant decrease in demand for this specialty has been revealed