Yalli (Kochari, Tenzere), traditional group dances of Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, have been included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
According to a joint statement by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Culture and the Foreign Ministry, this decision was made at the 13th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held November 26-December 1 in the capital of Mauritius, Port Louis.
The nomination document was submitted jointly by Azerbaıjan’s Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Representation of the Republic of Azerbaijan to UNESCO.
The mentioning of namely Nakhchivan in the document is aimed at promoting on a global scale the traditional culture and folk art of the population living in this ancient historical region of Azerbaijan, and at the same time is aimed at protecting these traditions at the UNESCO level.
Armenia's provocative attempts regarding the nomination of Yalli (Kochari, Tenzere) traditional group dances of Nakhchivan were suppressed just like in cases with other cultural heritage nominations of Azerbaijan. In anticipation of the session, the relevant state bodies of Azerbaijan conducted the necessary work, and during the session, the Azerbaijani delegation gave a worthy response in this regard to the Armenian side, AzerTAc reported.
With the support of Azerbaijan’s first vice-president, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, UNESCO and ISESCO Goodwill Ambassador Mehriban Aliyeva, who has a crucial role in developing cooperation with UNESCO, preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of Azerbaijan on a global scale, the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has also included the art of crafting and playing kamancha, the tradition of cooking and serving dolma, the performance of Azerbaijani mugham, the tradition of cooking and serving lavash, Lahij copper craft, ashig art, Novruz holiday, the art of carpet weaving, kelaghayi, the art of playing tar. In addition, Chovqan, the traditional Karabakh horse-riding game, has been included in the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
