Sinuous, dancing, iconic: it is the art of Arabic calligraphy that has recently been included in the UNESCO list dedicated to the intangible cultural heritage of the world. Originally conceived to make writing clear and legible, Arabic calligraphy has become, over time, a true artistic practice used for the production of traditional and modern works. Used to convey harmony and beauty, the ancient wonder makes use of particular techniques that involve the use of natural materials such as bamboo canes and stems for the manufacture of writing instruments, or honey, soot and saffron for the ink.
Advanced by a coalition of sixteen Arabic-speaking countries (including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Palestine), the proposal to include Islamic calligraphy in the list of intangible cultural heritages was accepted willingly by UNESCO, which did not hesitate to attest to its profound artistic and spiritual value. To complete the new list of intangible assets to be safeguarded there are also forty-two other elements considered an integral part of the cultural identity of some populations: a list that embraces different categories and very distant territories.
Among these we remember the Durga Puja festival in Calcutta, the Vietnamese art of Xòe dance and the Falak, a folkloric musical genre widespread among the peoples who inhabit the mountains of Tajikistan. Finally, the culinary aspect could not be missing from the prestigious list. Among the different foods mentioned by Unesco, the joumou soup (traditional Haitian dish based on pumpkin, vegetables, meat and pasta) and the delicious Italian truffle stand out.