The traditional art of henna painting is being proposed for inclusion on Unesco’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Department of Culture and Tourism—Abu Dhabi in partnership with the Arab League Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization and the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth.
This month, the three government organisations hosted guests from 16 Arab nations to debate the nomination.
According to Mubarak Al Nakhi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture and Youth, “The UAE pays significant importance to emphasising the practises of our Emirati identity and exhibiting them to the world.”
The meeting and henna nomination are part of DCT Abu Dhabi’s initiatives to promote and uphold the national identity and legacy of the UAE. Henna has been utilised for both medical purposes and decorative purposes in the UAE and throughout the region, according to Al Nakhi.
With the successful addition of international falconry to Unesco’s list in 2010, the UAE’s efforts to include behaviours, representations, expressions, knowledge, and abilities that are a part of the regional cultural fabric got under way.
Since then, the UAE has also incorporated other cultural practises such as Al-Taghrooda, an improvised poetry form; Al-Ayyala, the traditional dance of the UAE and northwestern Oman; Al-Razfa, a traditional performance that combines dance and poetry; the Majlis, a community gathering place where residents discuss local events; Gahwa (Arabic coffee); the palm tree; camel racing; and Arabic calligraphy.