UNESCO Adds Dying Musical Instrument, Ancient Crafts to Endangered List

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In a significant move, UNESCO has added several intangible cultural heritage elements to its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. These include the ancient Boreendo folk musical instrument and its melodies from Pakistan, as well as traditional crafts from around the world. The 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is being held in New Delhi, India, from December 8 to 13. The committee is examining 67 nominations submitted by nearly 80 countries, with a focus on preserving endangered cultural heritage. New additions to the list include the craft of making Dong Ho folk woodblock printings from Viet Nam, the Mwazindika spiritual dance of the Daida community of Kenya, and the practice of making Asin Tibuok, a traditional artisanal sea salt from the Philippines. Other notable inclusions are the construction processes of the quincha house and the junta de embarre/embarra from Panama, Nai'upo art from Paraguay, Moliceiro boat naval carpentry art from Portugal's Aveiro region, and the art of crafting and playing the Kobyz from Uzbekistan. These additions highlight the diversity of cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding. This marks the first time India is hosting a session of the UNESCO panel, emphasizing the country's commitment to preserving cultural heritage.