Nahla Imam, an advisor to the culture minister for intangible cultural heritage affairs, said Egypt and the UN’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will launch the first phase of the heritage house at the Fustat Traditional Crafts Centre, in the heart of old Cairo, at the end of August.
In statements to MENA, Imam added the launch of the heritage house comes as part of the celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
She stated the Culture Ministry seeks through the launch of the heritage house to raise awareness about the importance of intangible cultural heritage, especially as Egypt abounds with an ancient heritage that surpasses many other countries.
The culture minister’s adviser explained the heritage house will comprise the national archives for intangible cultural heritage in all governorates, noting the Culture Ministry prepared a program to mark the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Imam noted that marking the 20th anniversary of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage provides an ideal opportunity to spotlight again on the seven elements of intangible cultural heritage that are registered on the convention’s lists.
The seven elements include El-Sirah El-Helalya (The Epic of Beni Helal) in 2008, Tahteeb (Stick Art) in 2016, the Aragouz Puppet in 2018, and the knowledge and traditions affiliated with palm trees in 2019, as well as the Journey of the Holy Family festivals in 2022.
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