Ukrainian Folk Traditions of Hospitality in the Context of Modern Diplomatic Etiquette

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to establish the significance of hospitality traditions for modern diplomatic etiquette of Ukraine. The article discusses the modern use of hospitality traditions inherent in the Ukrainian folk culture in the practice of domestic diplomatic etiquette. Therefore, the focus of the article is a substantive analysis of the role of particular traditions, namely using the tradition of welcoming foreign delegations with bread and salt on an embroidered towel, singing welcoming songs, giving gifts to guests, which convey the traditions of material and immaterial culture of the Ukrainian people. The methodology of the study is determined by its tasks and is based on the principles of historicism and objectivity, using the methods of comparison and generalisation, analytical, and systematic methods. The scientific novelty of the study is determined by its topic and consists in distinguishing among the large-scale layer of archaic traditions of the Ukrainian people those that highlight the hospitality aspect of the Ukrainian people at the beginning of the 21st century, and studying their place in the domestic diplomacy of the modern period. Conclusions. The analysis of scholarly works showed that domestic scholars pay due attention to the study of folk traditions (L. Artiukh, T. Veselovska, N. Voitovych, O. Hrymak et al.) and diplomatic etiquette (I. Kozynets, V. Klymenko, O. Podvorna, O. Sahaidak, A. Chaban, Yu. Chuhaienko et al.), however, the role of Ukrainian national hospitality traditions in the 21st century has actually not been highlighted in the domestic scientific discourse. The customs analysed in the article (welcoming guests with bread and salt on an embroidered towel; treating guests to traditional dishes; welcoming guests with songs; giving guests valuable gifts) testified to the existence of the Ukrainian national traditions at the diplomatic level, which allows declaring the uniqueness of the Ukrainian culture in the world. It has been proven that popular Ukrainian hospitality plays an important role in diplomatic activities even at the beginning of the 21st century, which is regulated by the rules of diplomatic etiquette.