Sat Dec 13 03:36:30 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:
Summary:
A UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) session focused on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) concluded in Delhi on December 13, 2025, at the Red Fort. During the week-long meeting, 67 new cultural elements from around the world were added to UNESCO’s intangible heritage lists, including India’s Deepavali, Iran’s art of mirror-work, the UAE’s traditional art, and Switzerland’s yodelling. The session, the largest to date, involved over 1,400 participants from nearly 80 countries. The event highlighted the growing importance of preserving living heritage and fostering international cooperation. The next session will be held in Xiamen, China, in December 2026.
News Article:
UNESCO Intangible Heritage Session Concludes in Delhi, Adds 67 Cultural Elements to Lists
New Delhi, December 13, 2025 – The UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage wrapped up its session at Delhi’s Red Fort today, marking a successful week of deliberations and significant additions to the world’s living heritage. Sixty-seven new cultural elements from various nations were inscribed on UNESCO’s intangible heritage lists, signifying a renewed commitment to preserving cultural traditions worldwide.
The event, hosted for the first time in India at the iconic Red Fort, saw participation from over 1,400 delegates representing nearly 80 countries. Noteworthy additions to the lists include India’s Deepavali, Iran’s art of mirror-work in Persian architecture, the UAE’s traditional art form blending performing arts with oral tradition, and Switzerland’s yodelling.
“Each inscription is not merely an addition to a list but a renewed commitment to safeguarding practices that give meaning, identity, and continuity to human societies,” stated India’s Ambassador to UNESCO, Vishal V Sharma, at the closing ceremony.
UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany emphasized the importance of living heritage in a world facing fragmentation. “Living, creative, and carried by communities, it reminds us of what binds us together,” he said in a statement.
The session also marked a milestone with the first inscription for seven countries: Barbados, Chad, the Comoros, El Salvador, Gabon, Libya, and São Tomé and Principe. This underscores the growing role of the UNESCO convention in strengthening dialogue and cooperation between nations to promote the safeguarding of living heritage.
The next session of the IGC will be held in Xiamen, China, in December 2026.
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