UNESCO will examine the inclusion of henna in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 19th session, scheduled for December 2-7 in Asuncion, Paraguay, Morocco’s News Agency (MAP) reported.
Sixteen Arab countries, including Morocco, jointly submitted the nomination under the title “Henna: Rituals, Aesthetics, and Social Practices.”
Civil society organizations initially proposed the inscription during Morocco’s Moussem of Tan-Tan festival in June 2019. Delegates from various countries supported the initiative, highlighting henna’s cultural significance across the region.
During the session, UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee will review 63 files submitted by 90 states. Of these, 58 are proposed for the Representative List, which currently includes 611 cultural elements from 140 countries.