TASHKENT: Uzbekistan and UNESCO have discussed ways to preserve and promote the country’s rich intangible cultural heritage, with a special focus on the centuries-old mahalla tradition and its role in community life.An online consultation was organized by the Permanent Delegation of Uzbekistan to UNESCO, bringing together representatives of Uzbekistan and the Secretariat of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
UNESCO was represented by Fumiko Ohinata, Secretary of the Convention, and Nicholas Tan, Associate Programme Specialist for Asia and the Pacific. Uzbek participants included officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mahalla Association, National Commission for UNESCO and the Permanent Delegation of Uzbekistan to UNESCO.During the meeting, the Uzbek side highlighted the mahalla’s longstanding history and its important role in preserving national traditions and strengthening social ties.
The mahalla brings communities together around values such as good neighborliness, mutual assistance, solidarity and respect for elders.Participants also emphasized the mahalla’s role as a living space for cultural traditions, where festivals, family occasions and community activities are celebrated collectively, while customs, knowledge and values are passed from one generation to the next.
UNESCO representatives expressed interest in the materials presented by the Uzbek side and highlighted the mahalla’s unique community-based way of life. They noted that traditions of community interaction, cultural exchange and intergenerational transmission are key elements of “living heritage,” a central concept of the 2003 UNESCO Convention.
The consultation marked another step toward strengthening Uzbekistan–UNESCO cooperation in safeguarding and promoting the country’s intangible cultural heritage, particularly the unique traditions and values associated with the mahalla institution.
