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Representatives of humanity's traditional genius proclaimed by UN agency

Representatives of humanity's traditional genius proclaimed by UN agency

Traditional arts as diverse as the spare, formalistic Japanese Kabuki theatre and the brightly painted oxcarts of Costa Rica were proclaimed representative cultural treasures of the earth's peoples today by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Forty-three kinds of oral tradition, performing arts, social practices, craftsmanship and knowledge of nature were added to a list of 47 previously-identified traditions to complete the so-called Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritages of Humanity in ceremonies at UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

Creation of the list is an important part of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is on track to enter into force shortly, once 30 States have deposited their instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, which has already been done by 26 States.

"We must not consider this phase as a last step, but rather as a moment of birth," UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura said.

"In fact," he said, "the considerable experience accumulated over the last six years in terms of the methodology of identification and selection of masterpieces, and also in terms of concrete lessons drawn from ongoing safeguarding plans constitutes the irreplaceable matrix that will be of precious utility in implementing the Convention."

The newly-named masterpieces, which also include the samba of Roda, Brazil, Indian performances of the Ramayana and the Indonesian wavy dagger called the Kris were proposed to the Director-General by an 18-member jury chaired by Princess Basma Bint Talal of Jordan. The jury met from 20 to 24 November to examine 64 national and multinational candidatures.

Twenty-seven of the previously-identified traditions have already benefited from UNESCO's support, particularly from safeguarding operations which received financial assistance from Japan, UNESCO said.

The masterpieces from States Parties to the Convention that were proclaimed by UNESCO since 2001 will feature in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity so as to ensure their continued safeguard, it added.

The Convention, in addition, calls for national inventories of cultural elements that must be protected, an intergovernmental committee comprising experts from future States Parties, and the creation of another list of traditions, those considered to be in urgent need of safeguarding.