UNESCO Participates in Oman’s Sub-Regional Forum on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Art

The Sub-Regional Forum on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Art was held in Muscat, Oman, bringing together over 70 participants to discuss the realities and challenges of safeguarding living cultural heritage. The event was organised by Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth and the Ministry of Education, represented by the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, in cooperation with the UNESCO Chair on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Management in the Arab Region at the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech).

The forum coincided with the annual International Day of Intangible Cultural Heritage, observed each year on 17 October. It provided a platform for experts and officials to exchange ideas on protecting intangible cultural heritage within its community and spatial contexts.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Mahmoud Al Abri, Secretary-General of the Omani National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, emphasised the role of art in documenting and transmitting cultural traditions. He also highlighted the importance of education in strengthening cultural identity and noted Oman’s achievements in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

Jawida Mansour, Programme Associate for Culture at UNESCO Doha, participated in a panel discussion titled “UNESCO’s Vision for the Sustainable Safeguarding of Living Heritage in Its Spatial Contexts.” During her presentation, she shared UNESCO’s tools and methodologies for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage within the communities and places where it is practiced and transmitted.

Mansour stressed the importance of community participation in identifying, safeguarding, and promoting living heritage, as well as ensuring the intergenerational transmission of traditional knowledge and cultural practices. She also highlighted UNESCO’s people-centred approach, which recognises the close connection between communities, cultural expressions, and their cultural landscapes and environments.

The forum served as a significant regional gathering to advance dialogue on preserving intangible cultural heritage, reinforcing the connection between cultural practices and their living environments.