'Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. What is the Intangible Cultural Heritage list?Īs per UNESCO, inscriptions to the Representative List are one of the several ways by which UNESCO advocates the promotion and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.Īs per the UNESCO website, the term ‘cultural heritage’ has changed content considerably in recent decades, partially owing to the instruments developed by UNESCO. In September, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had requested the UNESCO to declare Durga Puja, which celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon king Mahishasur, as 'Intangible Cultural Heritage' and a global festival. India's nominees are proposed by the Sangeet Natak Akademi, which was appointed as the nodal agency for ICH by the Union Ministry of Culture in 2011, as per Conde Naste Traveller. Īs per Conde Naste Traveller, Durga Puja had been nominated to the Representative List in 2020.

And, Kolkata’s Durga Puja is an experience everyone must have. During the event, the divides of class, religion and ethnicities collapse as crowds of spectators walk around to admire the installations,' the inscription on the UNESCO website reads.Ī matter of great pride and joy for every Indian!ĭurga Puja highlights the best of our traditions and ethos. The festival is characterized by large-scale installations and pavilions in urban areas, as well as by traditional Bengali drumming and veneration of the goddess. 'Durga Puja is seen as the best instance of the public performance of religion and art, and as a thriving ground for collaborative artists and designers. The meeting, an annual gathering which brings together hundreds of participants – representatives of States Parties, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions and other stakeholders – from across the globe is being chaired by Punchi Nilame Meegaswatte, Secretary-General, Sri Lanka National Commission for UNESCO. The decision was taken at the sixteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is being held from 13 to 18 December.

Culture tags