CULTURAL NEWS

Number of Algerian cultural properties on intangible cultural heritage list reaches eight

ALGIERS- With the inclusion Tuesday, on behalf of sixteen Arab countries, of the Arab calligraphy and knowledge, skills and practices related to it, on the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the number of Algeria's cultural properties inscribed onto the list reaches eight.

The first cultural property listed by Algeria is Ahellil of Gourara, a poem sung and danced in collective ceremonies and religious festivals in this region in the north of Adrar, proposed by researcher Rachid Bellil in 2008.

In 2012, Algeria proposed the rites and artisanal know-how related to the tradition of wedding costume of Tlemcen, followed in 2013 by the listing of the annual pilgrimage to the mausoleum Sidi Abd El Kader Ben Mohamed called "Sidi Cheikh" by researcher Ahmed Ben Naoum.

During the same year, Algeria took part in its first multinational file to list the practices and knowledge of Imzad.

The ceremony of Sebeiba, which takes place in the oasis of Djanet every year, was inscribed onto the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity before researcher Rachid Bellil returns to the UN institution with the listing of Sbua, annual pilgrimage to zawiya of Sidi El Hadj Belkacem in Gourara in celebration of Mawlid Ennabaoui (Observance of the birthday of Prophet Muhammad "Peace Be Upon Him").

The Ministry of Culture also submitted the file to list the knowledge and skills of the foggaras of Touat-Tidikelt (region of Adrar, and which was inscribed onto the intangible heritage list.

In 2020, couscous and skills related to its production was also inscribed on the intangible cultural heritage list of humanity, on behalf of Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Mauritania.

The Arabic calligraphy, and the knowledge, skills and practices related to it, a multinational file on behalf of sixteen Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Mauritania, Palestine and Tunisia, has been inscribed on Tuesday onto the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.