United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) accepted the nomination of Suri Jagek practice of Kalasha people for 2018’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), a local media house reported.
UNESCO’s Inter-governmental Committee for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage accepted the nomination during its 13th session being held in Port Louis, Mauritius.
The 2018 list also includes cultural heritage in Kenya, Algeria, Cambodia, Syria, Egypt and Azerbaijan.
It was further reported that the committee accepted Pakistan’s nomination that “as a ruling custom, integral to the formation of the traditional lunisolar calendar dictating times for festivals, feasts and social events, as well as animal husbandry and agriculture of the Kalasha and Muslim community residing in the three valleys, consider Suri Jagek to be an integral part of their Intangible Cultural Heritage”.
“A first exclusive inscription for 2003 Convention for Pakistan — the other two being Nauroz and Falconry shared with neighbour countries in the region — Suri Jagek (literally, observing the sun) is a Kalasha meteorological and astronomical practice carried out in December on the winter solstice and is based on the observation of the sun, moon and stars in reference to the local topography,” the local media report stated.
