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During the 17th session of the organization which is being held in Rabat, the members therefore validated this Thursday the registration of these three musical and culinary traditions in the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
There were no discussions for the harissa inscription, spicy sauce made in particular from peppers and olive oil. The committee, as is the rule, finds that the application has met the five required criteria. “Tunisia is proud of this inscription, the harissa has an important symbolic value, it represents warmth, activity and vitality”, reacted the Tunisian representative in the hemicycle.
The debates were longer for the kalela dance, a traditional dance born during the colonial era. Many countries such as Sweden, Saudi Arabia and Botswana have supported the Zambian candidacy, such as Burkina Faso, which asked for details to strengthen the case. But following 40 minutes of discussions, the kalela dance has been registered as an intangible heritage of humanity.
« A decisive act of recognition by the world »
Last file presented by a State of the African continent: raï, popular song from Algeria. The Algerian file was validated by the bid committee and was not the subject of any debate. By videoconference from Algiers, the Minister of Culture, Soraya Mouloudjji, welcomed this decision: “ The inclusion of raï, a popular song from Algeria on the lists, constitutes for my country a decisive act of recognition by the world ».
The raï, the kalela dance and the harissa are therefore now protected by UNESCO, which has also called on all the States of the African continent to initiate procedures for inclusion in the intangible heritage of the organization.
