From November 28 – December 3, 2022, the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was hosted by the North African Country, the Kingdom of Morocco (Morocco) in its capital city Rabat.
- It was chaired by Samir Addahre, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Morocco to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).
- It is an annual gathering.
Participants:
It was attended by representatives of States Parties, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions and other stakeholders from 180 countries.
About Committee:
The committee is responsible for making recommendations on how to best protect cultural heritage sites and cultural heritage as a whole.
- Committee Members: Angola, Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Czechia, Ethiopia, Germany, India, Malaysia, Mauritania, Morocco, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Uzbekistan and VietNam
- Vice-Chairpersons: Switzerland, Czechia, Panama, Republic of Korea and Botswana
- Rapporteur: Mr Ramiro Maurice Silva Rivera (Peru)
Inclusion of New Items in Cultural Heritage List
The session witnessed the inclusion of 47 new items in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list submitted by 60 countries.
- These include 39 items in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 4 items in the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, and 5 in urgent safeguarding list.
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
This list aims at ensuring better visibility of the intangible cultural heritage and raising awareness of its importance while encouraging dialogue that respects cultural diversity.
| Sr. No. | Inscription Name | Country | Famous For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al Talli | United Arab Emirates (UAE) | Traditional embroidery skills |
| 2 | Al-Khanjar | Oman | Craft skills and social practices |
| 3 | Al-Mansaf | Jordan | Festive banquet and its social and cultural meanings |
| 4 | Alheda’a | Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE | Oral traditions of calling camel flocks |
| 5 | Ancestral system of knowledge of the four indigenous peoples, Arhuaco, Kankuamo, Kogui and Wiwa of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta | Colombia | Comprised of sacred mandates that keep the existence of the four peoples in harmony with the physical and spiritual universe |
| 6 | Artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread | France | Most popular kind of bread |
| 7 | Tranos Choros (Grand Dance) and Syrrako festival | Greece | Celebrated to commemorate the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. |
| 8 | Beekeeping | Slovenia | Way of life |
| 9 | Bear festivities in the Pyrenees | Andorra, France | Take place every winter in five villages in the Pyrenees mountain range located in Andorra and France |
| 10 | Crafting and playing the Oud | Iran, Syria | Oud is a traditional, lute-type instrument played in Iran and Syria |
| 11 | Culture of Çay (tea) | Azerbaijan, Türkiye | Symbol of identity, hospitality and social interaction |
| 12 | Date palm | UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, Yemen |  Knowledge, skills, traditions and practices |
| 13 | Festivals related to the Journey of the Holy family | Egypt | Commemorate the Holy Family’s voyage from Bethlehem to Egypt to escape King Herod’s oppression. |
| 14 | Furyu-odori | Japan | Ritual dances imbued with people’s hopes and prayers |
| 15 | Harissa | Tunisia) | Knowledge, skills and culinary and social practices |
Click Here to get the full list
Urgent Safeguarding List
The List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding aims at mobilizing attention and international cooperation in order to safeguard intangible cultural heritage whose viability is at risk despite the best efforts of the community
| Sr. No. | Inscription | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quinchamalà and Santa Cruz de Cuca pottery | Chile |
| 2 | Traditional Ahlat stonework | Türkiye |
| 3 | Art of pottery-making of Chăm people | Viet Nam |
| 4 | Xhubleta, skills, craftsmanship and forms of usage | Albania |
| 5 | Culture of Ukrainian borscht cooking | Ukraine |
Register of Best Safeguarding Practices
It includes programs, projects and activities on the national, subregional and/or international levels that best reflect best principles and objectives of the Convention. It aims at ensuring exchange and cooperation at the international level for programs with proven success in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
| Sr. No. | Inscription | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese-Galician border ICH: a safeguarding model created by Ponte…nas ondas | Portugal, Spain |
| 2 | Al Sadu Educational Programme: Train the trainers in the art of weaving | Koweit |
| 3 | Strategy for safeguarding traditional crafts: The Bearers of Folk Craft Tradition programme | Czechia |
| 4 | Tocati, a shared programme for the safeguarding of traditional games and sports | Italy, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France
|
It should be noted that the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was adopted at the 32nd General Assembly of UNESCO on Oct. 17, 2003, to protect the world’s intangible cultural heritage.
18th Session (Next):
The conferees elected Morocco, Slovakia, Switzerland, Peru and Bangladesh as Vice-Presidents of Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
- The committee will be chaired by Botswana and the Czech Republic
- Eva Kuminkova was elected as the Committee’s Rapporteur for its 18th
About Morocco:
Currency– Moroccan Dirham
Capital– Rabat
