Myanmar prepares over 2,000 intangible cultural heritage items to submit to UNESCO

19/12/2024 21:30

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NP News - Dec 19

A total of over 2,000 intangible cultural heritage elements has been compiled by Myanmar to submit nominations for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Chairperson of the Myanmar Cultural Heritage Preservation Association, Daw Sanda Khin, stated this.
She made this statement during a welcoming ceremony organized by the Myanmar Cultural Heritage Prese­rvation Association, held on December 10 at Green Land Paradise near Inya Lake, Kamayut Township, Yangon.
Recently, Myanmar's traditi­onal Thingyan Water Festival has been officially recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. To qualify for inclusion on the UNESCO list, an element must first be recognized as a national heritage. It is reported that a catalog of over 2,000 intangible cultural heritage elements has already been documented and compiled at the national level.
“The national-level compilation currently includes over 2,000 intangible cultural heritage elements, and this effort is being undertaken by the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture. Once they have completed the compilation, we, as civil society organizations, collaborate and contri­bute to the process of nominating these elements for the UNESCO list. In addition, more heritage elements will be identified and submitted. The ministry will prioritize and select exceptional intangible cultural heritage elements with unique characteristics and significance for submission in an orderly manner,” said Daw Sanda Khin.
Myanmar's traditional practice of wearing Thanaka is also involved among them. This practice was submitted for inclusion on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020, but efforts were inefficient in addressing. Therefore, the ministry resumes to resubmit it for consideration.
In addition to the practice of applying Thanaka, Daw Sanda Khin emphasized to prioritize other cultural elements such as tealeaf salad consumption, traditional loom-weaving techniques, and the endangered art of nose-flute playing by the Chin ethnic group for UNESCO nominations.
She remarked, “When we talk about prioritizing, it’s based on what we know. As the Myanmar Cultural Heritage Preservation Association, we strongly advocate for resubmitting the Thanaka tradition this year. Additionally, elements like traditional loom-weaving should also be nominated. Festivals are excellent sub­missions too, as they bring recognition and pride to the country. In discussions with other countries, they often highlight handicrafts. For example, if we submit Thanaka, we showcase not just the heritage but also its production process, such as the grinding stones and organic nature of Thanaka logs. Similarly, we present complementary traditions, like organic shampoo made from acacia pods, as part of the package. Culture of eating tealeaf salad is another area where we can demonstrate uniqueness by sharing traditional preparations. This approach aligns with how other countries are presenting their cultural elements in a competitive and collabo­rative spirit.”
Daw Sanda Khin stated that Myanmar possesses numerous intan­gible cultural heritage elements with the potential to gain international reco­gnition. She emphasized that if these heritage elements are acknowledged globally, they could create job oppor­tunities for local communities. –