Finland must feel like it has won the lottery with a record-low jackpot.
Yet it was a bittersweet moment for the Nordic country - the majority of its public saunas are closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Nevertheless, campaigners are delighted that saunas are the first Finnish tradition to be added to UNESCO s Intangible Cultural Heritage List.
“The world is full of difficult news right now, so this beautiful news was just what we needed,” said Leena Marsio, a senior advisor at the Finnish Heritage Agency. “This gives our culture appreciation and visibility.” Each sauna has its own personality
Finnish sauna enthusiasts began working on getting UNESCO recognition four years ago.