Elements from Azerbaijan and Guatemala inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding | WPN World People News

The inscription of elements on the Urgent List helps States Parties to UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage to mobilize international cooperation and assistance to ensure the transmission of this heritage with the participation of the concerned communities.

Chovqan, a traditional Karabakh horse-riding game in the Republic of Azerbaijan

Chovqan is a traditional horse-riding game played on a grassy field by two competing teams of five riders mounted on Karabakh horses. Players use wooden mallets to drive a small leather or wooden ball into their opponents’ goal. The game is accompanied by instrumental folk music called ''janghi''. Chovqan strengthens feelings of identity rooted in nomadic culture. The practice and transmission of Chovqan have weakened, however, due to socio-economic factors leading to a shortage of players, trainers and Karabakh horses.

Guatemala—Paach ceremony

The Paach ceremony is a corn-veneration ritual celebrated in San Pedro Sacatepéquez. The ritual describes the growing and harvesting of corn and includes dancing, prayers in the Mam language and a meal. Older men and women dress ceremonial corncobs, offer prayers during the ceremony, coordinate the preparation and serving of food and perform a ceremonial dance to marimba music. In recent years, the Paach ceremony has suffered from a decrease in transmission, with young people and some bearers declining to participate.

On Wednesday, the Committee will pursue the review of four other nominations for the List of Intangible Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and the 30 nominations for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Source: UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization