Abu Dhabi: Longstanding Arabic traditions such as Arabic coffee, Al Razfa dance and Al Majlis have passed the initial nomination stage by a United Nations committee seeking to preserve heritage.
The Intangible Heritage Committee, an international committee tasked with safeguarding heritage, has accepted the nomination of Arabic coffee from Gulf countries in the Unesco Intangible Heritage of Humanity Representative List.
The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Oman nominated Al Majlis and Arabic coffee while the UAE and Oman nominated Al Razfa.
Representatives from 175 countries attended the 10th session of the Intangible Heritage Committee, which took place in Namibia from November 29 to December 4.
Arabic coffee symbolises generosity, hospitality and other values associated with the Gulf region.
Al Razfa is a popular folk dance in the UAE and Oman, symbolising masculinity, chivalry, gallantry and the region’s equestrian heritage.
Al Majlis is considered a cultural and social tradition in which rulers interact with community members in an effort to strengthen social cohesion.
Mohammad Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), said: “This acknowledgement reflects years of dedication and expertise of which I am immensely proud as we strive to ensure the emirate is recognised globally for its efforts to maintain and preserve traditions. Inscribing these heritage elements on Unesco’s representative list is the culmination of the achievements and efforts of our mandate to register, revitalise, preserve, document and sustain the UAE’s heritage components as a cultural legacy for future generations. It also sheds light on our deep-rooted heritage, and increases global awareness of its authenticity.”
Al Majlis, Arabic coffee and Al Razfa have joined falconry, Al Taghrooda and Al Ayala on Unesco’s list while Al Sadu was inscribed on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in need of Urgent Safeguarding. “These milestones promote cultural diversity, human creativity and dialogue among civilisations by discovering cultural, social, and human origins of heritage elements,” Al Mubarak said.
Dr Nasser Ali Al Humairi, director of the Intangible Heritage Department at TCA Abu Dhabi, said: “We prepared the files with great accuracy before submitting them to the Unesco Committee of Experts for evaluation. After passing the evaluation phase, the files then moved on to the annual Intangible Heritage Committee meeting, which provides the final approval and acknowledgment of registration.”
