Iran's 'Ayeneh-Kari' to Switzerland's yodelling, 67 cultural elements added to UNESCO heritage list

New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) Iran's art of mirror-work in Persian architecture, UAE's traditional art form that blends performing arts with oral tradition and Switzerland's yodelling -- a vocal technique involving the use of different registers -- were on Thursday inscribed on the UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

A total of 67 cultural elements, including India's Deepavali, have been added to UNESCO's various intangible heritage lists over the period of December 9-11.

These include 11 elements put on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, and over 50 inscriptions on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The new inscriptions also include Al Sadu, traditional weaving skills in the United Arab Emirates, and Hezhen Yimakan storytelling from China, both of which have been moved from the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The decision was taken during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) being hosted at the Red Fort in Delhi from December 8-13.

The phase-wise examination of the 67 nominations submitted by nearly 80 countries had begun on Tuesday, and it was completed on Thursday.

This is the first time that India is hosting a session of the intergovernmental committee for the safeguarding of ICH.

'Deepavali', Italian cooking, and Al-Muhaibis: social practices and traditions associated with it, from Iraq, among others were inscribed on the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

"A total of 67 living heritage elements have been added to UNESCO's lists," a senior official said.

On Thursday, Ayeneh-Kari, the art of mirror-work in Persian architecture from Iran was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Ayeneh-Kari, or mirror-work, refers to the handcrafted art of decorating architectural surfaces such as ceilings, walls, domes, columns and panels using cut pieces of mirrors, the UNESCO said.

India at UNECSO in a post on X said Ali Darabi, Vice-Minister and Deputy for Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of the Islamic Republic of Iran, gifted India's Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Vishal V Sharma, an Ayeneh-Kari art depicting the 'Indian emblem', adding that it was "handed over to the Ministry of Culture for display".

Cobza, traditional knowledge, skills and music, a joint nomination by the Republic of Moldova and Romania was also accorded a UNESCO tag on Wednesday.

The cobza is a pear-shaped string instrument with a short neck and wooden body, traditionally used to provide rhythm and harmony in folk music. It can be played solo or in groups and is usually strummed with a folded goose feather, the world body said.

Corina Calugaru, Ambassador of Moldova to France and the country's Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO said, "Moldova and Romania share a border and share a culture, whether it is our language or clothing".

"We two countries are like sisters, and have fondness for each other. We both have a few other joint elements already inscribed on the UNESCO list such as the art of 'Ia', the traditional blouse with embroidery on the shoulder, inscribed in 2022," Calugaru told PTI on Thursday.

She said she was wearing an 'Ia' blouse while attending the UNESCO session in Delhi.

The two countries share a border and incidentally, the desk of the members of the Romanian delegation is placed next to the one of Moldova, separated by an aisle.

On Tuesday, the traditional saree weaving art of Tangail from Bangladesh and Behzad's style of miniature painting from Afghanistan were among the elements inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The skills and practices of making 'Bisht' (men's Abaa or gown), a transnational nomination, were also inscribed on this list.

Besides, 'Lastovo Poklad' carnival custom of Croatia, UAE's Al Sadu and China's Hezhen Yimakan storytelling and have been selected for the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices of Intangible Heritage.

The joy among the members of the UAE delegation was double as Al Ahalla -- a traditional art form that blends performing arts with oral tradition -- was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, while Al Sadu, traditional weaving skills, was moved to this list from the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Abu Dhabi-based Walid Al Halani, a member of the UAE delegation at the session, told PTI, "First or ultimate goal of such meetings is to safeguard the memories of the people, memories of the place, soul of the place... amid rapid urbanisation, we are trying to save what we can, before it's too late." Switzerland's yodelling also achieved the recognition.

It a vocal technique involving the use of different vocal registers, such as chest and head voices, to create melodies with meaningless syllables instead of words. The syllables chosen are often determined by the local dialect, the UNESCO said. PTI KND SKY SKY