At the 12th session of Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO on the protection of non-material cultural heritage which has taken place on December 4-9, 2017 on Jeju Island, South Korea, the “Production of the String Musical Instrument Kamangcha and Performing Art” project which is in common submitted by the Azerbaijan Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran it is included in the Representative list of UNESCO on non-
material cultural heritage. On December 7 the decision on the file of the nomination which has received positive reviews by all criteria body of UNESCO for Estimation has been announced.
It should be noted that the above-mentioned nomination document was presented in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to UNESCO in cooperation with the Iranian side. Speaking on behalf of the Azerbaijani delegation, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to UNESCO, Ambassador Anar Kerimov noted that the art of Kamancha played one of the central roles in the Azerbaijani culture. He noted that this type of art covers a wider territory than the geographical borders of our country, and is also a model of cultural property passed down from generation to generation through the centuries, and expressed gratitude to Iran for the support provided in the nomination file. He also thanked the Government of Azerbaijan, the UNESCO Evaluation Body and the Committee for support of this example of art which is of cultural value of our people.
Vasif Eyvazzade, the head of the international cooperation department of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, commenting on the results of this decision, said that the adoption by UNESCO of Kamancha as an art of execution and its manufacture in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will play a positive role in the development of mastery as one from the forms of creative industries in Azerbaijan, and in the well-being of people participating in this art. He also noted that the joint presentation of this file with Iran testifies to the policy of the Azerbaijani state in the spirit of the culture of the Azerbaijani state and its commitment to intercultural dialogue at the international level. With the support of the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President of Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO and ISESCO Ms. Mehriban Aliyeva, who plays an exceptional role in the development of cooperation with UNESCO and promotes our cultural heritage throughout the World, in addition to the traditions of cooking and serving of dolma, the performance of the Azerbaijan Mugham, the tradition of cooking and using lavash, the copper art of Lahij, the Ashug art, the Novruz holiday, the art of carpets, the lawsuit the ability to perform on the Tar, the art of making Kelagai, as well as the Chovgan – Karabakh traditional horse game, are included in the list of the UNESCO Office for Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, which need urgent protection.
