Decision of the Intergovernmental Committee: 15.COM 7.3

The Committee,

  1. Having examined document LHE/20/15.COM/7,

  2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 6.COM 8.9 and 11.COM 9.b.3,

  3. Expresses its thanks to Iran for submitting, on time, its report on the status of the element ‘Naqqāli, Iranian dramatic story-telling’, inscribed in 2011 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

  4. Takes note of the efforts undertaken by the State Party to safeguard the element, especially by supporting the sustainable employment of Naqqāls and the transmission of Naqqāli, which has resulted in an increased number of practitioners and greater gender balance in its practice and enhanced the appreciation of the element in society, including among youth;

  5. Further takes note that the State Party has established the Iranian Naqqāli Foundation and inaugurated five new Naqqāli Houses, developing the infrastructure to enhance the safeguarding of the element through research, education and promotion;

  6. Invites the State Party to continue its efforts to enlarge the network of Naqqāli Houses, to strengthen the livelihood capacities of Naqqāls and other bearers of the element, to enhance intergenerational transmission, including through training at schools, and to ensure the participation of practitioners in developing the safeguarding measures;

  7. Also takes note of the strengthened viability of the element and the State Party’s intention to propose the transfer of the element from the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;

  8. Requests that the Secretariat inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the deadline of 15 December 2023 about the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.

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