The French baguette, the Algerian raï, the Serbian “slivo” or even the Tunisian harissa: UNESCO is examining from Monday in Rabat the applications for inscription on the lists of the intangible heritage of humanity.
Chaired by Morocco, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee of Unesco will examine from Monday to Saturday 56 registration requests, including four requiring urgent safeguarding, such as the art of pottery to the Cham people in Vietnam, specified the organization.
This is the first time that it has been face-to-face after two successive annual sessions (2020 and 2021) held online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The results will be published on UNESCO’s Twitter accounts from Tuesday afternoon.
Among the most prominent files: the baguette (France), the popular raï song (Algeria), fairgrounds (France and Belgium), the culture of “chaï / thé” (Azerbaijan and Turkey), the techniques traditional ways of processing tea (China), rubab, lute from Central Asia (Iran / Tajikistan / Afghanistan), slivovitz, plum brandy from Serbia or even light rum (Cuba).
In order to avoid controversy, UNESCO honors above all traditions, practices and know-how to be safeguarded.
Thus, it will not recognize that the baguette belongs to the intangible world heritage, but that “the craftsmanship and the culture of the baguette” are part of it.
It is the know-how of the masters of light rum in Cuba that will be considered, not the spirit.
As for Algerian raï, it will not be included on the list as music but as a tradition surrounding this musical genre.
Adopted in 2003, the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage promotes the safeguarding of the knowledge and know-how necessary for traditional craftsmanship.
A tool of cultural diplomacy, it also rewards “cultural practices transmitted from generation to generation, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festive events or even knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe. “.