The art of building stone walls in the dry, traditional in rural areas of Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland, was signed today by Unesco on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Committee of Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Unesco considered that “the dry-stone walls play an essential role in the prevention of landslides, flooding and avalanches”. A candidacy on the part of Spain includes nine autonomous communities in which this art is this: Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Baleares, Canarias, Cataluña, Extremadura, Galicia and Valencia.
The Convention of the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture (Unesco) announced the decision at its meeting in Port-Louis (Republic of Mauritius), where it examined this week several candidates for that list.
This type of walls are made by stacking stones without using other materials of construction except dry land and are very extended, especially in rural areas of these european countries, as extracted from the press release issued by Unesco. These structures do not damage the environment and are “an example of a balanced relationship between the human being and the nature”, according to Unesco. In addition to serving on the prevention of natural disasters, also contribute to the fight against erosion and desertification, improve biodiversity and create micro-climatic conditions conducive to agriculture.
This was one of the applications of Spain that the Unesco evaluated, along with the tamboradas, chiming rituals of drum own in various localities (Teruel, Bahis Siteleri Albacete and Córdoba, among others). It was also announced today, the inclusion of the Parrandas of the central region of Cuba, a popular street party carnival with origin in the EIGHTEENTH century.
The Unesco evaluates other proposals Latin american and expressions, rituals and festive of the Congo culture of Panama, the pilgrimage of Zapopan (central Mexico), the third most important pilgrimage in the country and the chamané, a style of music and dance typical of the province of Corrientes (Argentina).
the representative list of The Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity satisfies currently 399 traditions and knowledge protected by the agency of the UN, and 52 elements whose survival is considered threatened, in addition to the candidates evaluated this week in Mauritius.
This Tuesday, the united nations entity also announced that it will include the traditional fight Korean “ssirum/ssireum”, a joint proposal of the two Koreas that was an unprecedented initiative and intended to contribute to reconciliation.
Unesco was also evaluated today the nominations for the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of urgent safeguarding, and included seven items, among which are the theatre of shadows in Syria, or three rites of passage boys of the community game in Kenya (Ekinpaata, Eunoto and Olng’esherr).
