NEW DELHI: In a landmark recognition, Deepavali has been added to UNESCO’s listing of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, turning into the sixteenth Indian custom to earn the honour, becoming a member of the ranks of Yoga and Durga Puja.In the identical spherical of additives, UNESCO additionally inscribed “Georgian wheat tradition: traditions and rituals” from Georgia, recognizing the nation’s centuries-old agricultural heritage. The inscription of Deepavali on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage listing comes as a part of a big world assessment underway in New Delhi, the place the twentieth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is being held from December 8 to 13 on the historic Crimson Fort. This marks the primary time India has hosted the distinguished UNESCO panel, which is tasked with evaluating cultural practices, traditions, and expressions from around the globe for worldwide recognition and safety. Throughout the almost week-long session, the committee is analyzing 67 nominations submitted by 79 international locations, together with India’s entry of the Deepavali pageant. The assessments kind a part of UNESCO’s bigger mandate to safeguard cultural traditions that maintain historic, inventive, or social worth, guaranteeing their continuity for future generations. The worldwide variety of this yr’s submissions — starting from festivals and rituals to agricultural and craft traditions — underscores the increasing scope of the intangible heritage program and the rising worldwide curiosity in preserving residing cultural practices.