UNESCO examines the inscription of “Henna” in December – Today Morocco

The candidacy of “henna” for the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity will be examined in December, announces the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The UNESCO Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage will examine this application submitted by sixteen Arab countries including Morocco under the title “Henna: rituals, aesthetics and social practices”, during its 19th ordinary session which will be held from 2 to December 7 in Asunción (Paraguay), specifies the agenda of the session. “During the Tan-Tan Moussem in Morocco held in June 2019, several civil society organizations expressed their wish to inscribe the element of henna on the Representative List of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage”, we read on the application file of the countries concerned. He added that the idea was well received by the countries participating in the festival activities, “since the element is widely practiced by various groups of different gender, age and ethnic origin.”

In total, the UNESCO Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage will examine, during its December session, the nominations of 63 elements submitted by 90 States for inscription on the Lists of the Convention. Among these nominations, 58 concern the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This list which “recognizes and promotes the diversity of cultural practices and know-how carried by communities” currently includes 611 elements practiced in 140 States.