TEHRAN -- Registration on UNESCO list is only one of the ways to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, UNESCO expert Janet Blake said during a meeting in Tehran on Monday.

“Actually, by registration, UNESCO aims to encourage the countries to attend the 2003 Intangible Heritage Convention,” Blake, who is also the advisor to UNESCO’s Tehran Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Center, said.

She cited raising awareness, educational programs and national policymaking as different ways to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage.

Tehran ICH Center held a workshop on the Role of Media on Raising Awareness on Intangible Cultural Heritage on Monday. Head of ICH Center Yadollah Parmun and Director and Representative of UNESCO Tehran Cluster Office Esther Kuisch Laroche attended the event.

Intangible cultural heritage is a kind of public knowledge, which is necessary for sustainable development, Blake said.

She called the intangible cultural heritage as a crucial factor in rural and urban development.

“Documentary making, inventory making and available sources for public are important actions, which should be taken for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage,” she added.

“Rebuilding the intergenerational gap constitutes a basic safeguarding measure in the field of ICH, an activity that guarantees its safe and effective transfer to young generation,” Parmun said.

“It is unanimously believed that strengthening the link between successive generations, especially, amidst the current uncontrolled developments, and fight between modernity and traditional culture, is the most effective method to safeguard ICH,” he stated.

During the event, Laroche also made a short speech on the importance of safeguarding International Cultural Heritage.

During her speech she also commemorated the International Literacy Day, which is celebrated on September 8.

By understanding the importance of ICH, one can design and implement programs for eradication of illiteracy, she suggested.

Regional Research Center for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in West and Central Asia, Under the Auspices of UNESCO (Tehran ICH Center) was established on November 10, 2012.

The geographical scope ascribed to Tehran ICH Centre includes 24 countries of Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, the Kyrgyz Republic, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, the United Arabic Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen.

The center aims to promote the 2003 Convention and its implementation in West and Central Asia and to strengthen capacities and cooperation in the region for identifying, inventorying, documenting and studying intangible cultural heritage in order to contribute to its safeguarding.

PHOTO: Traditional skill of carpet weaving in Fars is on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (Photo: UNESCO.org)

SB/PA
EN