Sri Lanka, Dec. 12 -- Sri Lanka's traditional practice of kithul madeema, or kithul tapping, has been inscribed in 2025 (20.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Kithul tapping, practiced in rural village communities, involves collecting sap from the kithul tree-a tall palm found in forests and home gardens.

The recognition highlights the importance of safeguarding cultural traditions that sustain both livelihoods and community resilience in rural Sri Lanka.

Using a ladder and a sacred tapping knife, tappers harvest sap daily, which is then boiled into kithul treacle (kithul honey) or processed into jaggery, vinegar, and alcoholic drinks.

Kithul products play a key role in ceremonies, festiva...