Monaco participates in the 19th session of the UNESCO Committee for the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage

Mme Séverine Dusaintpere, Deputy Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, represented Monaco at the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Asunción, Paraguay…

The opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Santiago Peña Palacios, President of Paraguay, and Ms. Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General. During the session that ran until the 7^th December, 63 new cultural elements were added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, bringing the total to 788 practices that embody living heritage.

Among the additions were the know-how of Parisian roofers and ornamentalists (France) and the culture of fairs (Belgium and France), emphasizing shared values of cultural diversity and social cohesion. Multinational entries also featured prominently, such as “Henna: rituals, aesthetics, and social practices,” recognized by the UAE and 15 other nations.

Heritage elements from conflict zones highlighted resilience and reconstruction, including Ukraine’s pysanka egg-decorating art and Palestine’s traditional Nablus soap-making.

As a party to the 2003 Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage, Monaco remains committed to safeguarding living traditions passed through generations. The Principality also contributes to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, further supporting the preservation of global cultural diversity.

Image: UNESCO