Morocco's Gnawa was inscribed Thursday by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. During its afternoon session held in the Colombian capital, the Committee also inscribed six more elements to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It also selected two projects for inclusion on the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices and allocated funds for a capacity building in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage programme in Burkina Faso. Gnawa hence joins seven other elements of Morocco's cultural heritage in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, namely the cultural space of Jemaa el-Fna Square, the Moussem of Tan-Tan, the Cherry festival in Sefrou, the Mediterranean diet, practices and know-how concerning the Argan tree, Falconry and Taskiwin, a martial dance of the western High Atlas. Speaking on this occasion, Morocco's ambassador to Colombia, Farida Loudaya, expressed the deep gratitude of the Kingdom for the decision of the Unesco, adding that the inscription of this age-old art to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is a recognition of efforts made by Morocco, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, who has promoted culture as the main component of the Nation's identity and authenticity. The decision of the Unesco Committee is a tribute to the richness of the cultural heritage and to Gnaoua, a symbol of the cultural and ethnic diversity of the Kingdom, the diplomat noted.
