UNESCO adopts Azerbaijan`s five-year report

/By AzerNews/

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan’s five-year report was adopted as part of the 10th session of the UNESCO`s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Namibia, running between November 30 and December 4.

The report reflects current state of the intangible cultural heritage in Azerbaijan, promotional events held in the country, protection of samples of intangible cultural heritages that included to UNESCO`s list in the country.

The document also shows the damage caused to the national heritage of Azerbaijan during the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands early 1990s. The report also reflects the difficulties, which, refugees and IDPs, currently settled in different territory of Azerbaijan, face because they are not able to safeguard their intangible cultural heritage.

The Intergovernmental Committee welcomed the significant progress made in the implementation of the Convention, as well as expressed its appreciation of the overall strategy of capacity building set up by UNESCO to support the states and communities in their safeguarding efforts.

It has also thanked the donors who have helped numerous programs to be implemented worldwide, as well as Azerbaijan and the Netherlands for having offered this year a new contribution for capacity building projects in the Dutch Caribbean islands and Suriname, as well as Bangladesh and Guatemala.

The Committee also inscribed 34 elements on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, which serves to raise awareness of intangible heritage and provide recognition to communities’ traditions and know-how that reflect their cultural diversity.

For over 20 years of the existing ties between UNESCO and Azerbaijan a number of Azerbaijan’s material and non-material culture was included in the honor roll of UNESCO's world masterpieces.

UNESCO’s Heritage list includes the Novruz holiday, Azerbaijani mugham, Azerbaijani ashig art, the Azerbaijani carpet, traditional Kalagayi headwear and national musical instrument “tar.”

The main list of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Azerbaijan includes Icherisheher in Baku, including the Shirvanshahs Palace, Maiden Tower, and the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape.