The Committee
- Takes note that Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran have nominated Ceremony of Mehregan (No. 02144) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
In Tajikistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mehregan is a religious celebration that is tied to the autumn harvest. Every year, from 2 October to 2 November, communities express gratitude to God for their livestock and crops. The rituals performed during the ceremony and the products featured vary according to the region and to the beliefs of the practitioners. For instance, Zoroastrian communities celebrate by reciting parts of their holy book, whereas Muslims recite special prayers. Both communities share the ritual of setting a table of goods, such as pomegranates, watermelons, pears, limes and lemons, grapes, apples, rice and wheat. They prepare various dishes and serve nuts, sweets and special drinks. They also play music, sing and dance. Observed by people regardless of gender and age, the celebrations include music, songs, dances, theatre and local sports performances (such as wrestling). During the ceremony, the communities organize flower exhibitions and sell or display related handicrafts and products. The practice is transmitted informally, through storytelling and participation in the planning and performance of the festivities. Schools and higher education institutes also contribute to its transmission. In addition to celebrating nature, Mehregan promotes social cohesion, as it unites people of different ages, genders, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds.
- Considers that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
R.1: The Mehregan ceremony involves wide scale celebrations annually, and is tied to the autumn harvest in the Islamic Republic of Iran and in Tajikistan. It is practiced by various communities in both submitting States. Knowledge and skills related to Mehregan are transmitted informally, through storytelling and participation in the planning and performance of the festivities. Schools and higher education institutes also contribute to its transmission. The element is a celebration of nature. It promotes social cohesion, fosters mutual respect, and unites people of different ages, genders, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds.
R.2: As an agricultural tradition, the element is of paramount importance for all communities concerned, especially farmers. It promotes a sustainable, nature-based economy while cultivating respect for and interaction with nature. The element also helps communities cope with climate change through sustainable processes. Traditional ways of preserving products contribute to food security, especially during droughts, floods or other natural disasters. The element fosters mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals. It promotes harmony among people, and between people and nature.
R.3: The safeguarding plans provided by the submitting States include a number of joint safeguarding measures such as organizing a joint festival, conducting collaborative research projects, allocating budgets, and providing physical spaces and means of celebrations to increase the participation of local communities. The safeguarding measures proposed by the communities ensure the element’s transmission, promotion, visibility and awareness-raising, as well as its documentation and legal protection. Each State also lists several measures that have been taken individually to ensure the viability of the element.
R.4: Each State demonstrates community contribution in the nomination process at the national level. The Iran and Tajikistan Friendship Association proposed this element for joint nomination in 2018. In March 2019, both countries publicly announced the decision to obtain public feedback and received positive feedback. The representatives of the local communities, associations and experts of both countries organized several meetings physically and virtually to prepare the dossier and its complementary documents. Meetings involving Iranian and Tajik local communities, experts and intangible cultural heritage authorities were organized on digital platforms in 2020, 2021, 2022 and early 2023. The local communities and experts actively participated in proposing joint and national safeguarding measures, providing photos, videos and letters of consent, and providing references for drafting the general information on the element.
R.5: The element is listed on the inventories of both submitting States. In Tajikistan, the inventory is maintained by the Research Institute of Culture and Information, Centre of National Heritage of Tajikistan and is updated biannually. In Iran, the inventory is maintained by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts and is updated every three years. The nomination file indicates the participation of communities in the updating of the inventories at the community, national and multinational levels.
- Decides to inscribe Ceremony of Mehregan on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;
- Commends the States Parties for the submission of an improved file following the decision of the Committee to refer the file in 2022.