TALCHUM TO BE INSCRIBED ON THE UNESCO LIST
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UNESCO Highly Praises its Social Functions and Universal Equality Value -
“Talchum, mask dance drama in the Republic of
Korea” has at last made it into the Representative List of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision was made in the morning of November
30, 2022 local time at the 17th Session of the Inter-Governmental Committee
under way in Rabat, the Kingdom of Morocco from November 28 to December 3,
2022.
The UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)
Committee stated that the message of Talchum of universal equality value and
criticism of social hierarchy is still relevant today and praised its role as a
symbol of respective cultural identities its variant forms represent.* Nomination file of Talchum praised for its
well-elaborated the social functions and cultural meanings
The inscription is the result of the joint
efforts from the early stages of preparation among the Cultural Heritage
Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the City of Andong, Gyungbuk
Province, 18 safeguarding associations and the World Federation of Mask Culture
whose membership includes heritage transmitters of those listed on either the
national list or provincial lists of ICH. The successful nomination of Talchum
will serve as an excellent precedent of close cooperation between the private
and public sectors in publicizing Korea’s traditional culture to the rest of
the world.
Following inscription, the number of Korea’s
elements on the UNESCO’s ICH inventory grows to 22. The Korean government states
it will make continuous efforts to promote cultural diversity and creativity of
humanity in the spirit of the UNESCO Convention of Safeguarding ICH.