The smoke sauna tradition of Võromaa, Estonia, the cultivation and culture of the argan tree in Morocco, and Askiya dueling debate of Uzbekistan are all now officially recognized as unique parts of the world’s heritage. The traditions are among those UNESCO added to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list at its session last month in Paris, which concluded on November 28.
UNESCO
Posted inNews
UNESCO Announces New Cultural Center for Bamiyan Valley
It’s rare that architects have the opportunity to design a building for a UNESCO World Heritage site — much more so for one recently devastated by cultural destruction.
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UNESCO Issues Caution on Iraq World Heritage Sites
The United Nations issued a warning yesterday on possible danger to Iraqi cultural heritage sites as the insurgent army of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) continued its southward sweep of the country towards Baghdad.
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Dire Prediction for Heritage Sites in a Future of Rising Waters
If the projections of climate change prove to be true and sea levels rise, there will be harrowing implications for much of human life on the shores. A new study released last week emphasizes the severity of this impact on culture: a whole fifth of the 720 listed UNESCO World Heritage Sites could be lost.
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United States Loses UNESCO Voting Rights
Last Friday, the United States had its voting rights with UNESCO revoked after not having paid dues to the organization for two years, an action that leaves a void of funding for the organization, as well as potentially impairing America’s influence in the arena of global cultural politics and heritage preservation.
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Emergency Red List of Syrian Cultural Objects at Risk Released
At an event last week at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the International Council of Museums (ICOM) officially released The Emergency Red List of Syrian Cultural Objects at Risk, which outlines the categories of cultural goods most vulnerable to illicit trade during the Syrian war.
Posted inArt
So THIS is Primitive and Tribal art
I received an email from Nasser and Co in response to the article “WTF is Primitive vs. Tribal Art” where I had sited that the gallery had used both the terms “primitive” and “tribal” on their façade and website respectively, to describe the artwork they exhibit and sell. Assured that both terms did not form part of contemporary art lexicon, I was curious as to why the gallery had decided to use these terms.
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Admitted to UNESCO Palestinians Reveal World Heritage Wish List
On Monday, Palestinians were finally admitted to the cultural body of the United Nations, UNESCO, as a full member. The move, which ignited the ire of the United States and Israel, allows the Palestinian government to apply for historic monuments and locations to be classified as World Heritage Sites.
Posted inOpinion
China Plans an Exact Copy of Scenic Austrian Village
You’ve all heard of the Chinese painters who get paid to make exact copies of the masterpieces of Western art. Well now China is going after entire towns rather than paintings. Architects in Guangdong are planning to make a replica of a scenic Austrian village, as nordic as can be, set right in their home province.