‘Deepavali, the festival of light’ inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for 2025. This came a year after West Bengal’s Durga Puja made it to the prestigious list.

Garba,2023 in Gujarat’s most popular folk dance form, in its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity.

 The list of Intangible Cultural Heritage elements on the UNESCO website includes 15 entries from India.

                  Besides Garba,  Durga Puja in Kolkata (2021), the India list has: Kumbh Mela (2017); Nowruz (2016); traditional brass and copper utensil-making among the Thatheras
of Jandiala Guru, Punjab (2014); Sankirtana of Manipur (2013); Buddhist chanting of Ladakh (2012); Chhau dance, Kalbelia dance of Rajasthan, and Mudiyettu of Kerala
(2010); Ramman festival of Garhwal (2009); and Kutiyattam Sanskrit theatre, Ramlila, and Vedic chanting (2008).

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UNESCO

In 1945, UNESCO  created in order to respond to the firm belief of nations, forged by two world wars in less than a generation that political and economic agreements are not enough to build a lasting peace. Peace must established based on humanity’s moral and intellectual solidarity. UNESCO strives to build networks among nations that
enable this kind of solidarity; France’s Audrey Azoulay as its director-general

Mobilizing for education: so that every child, boy or girl, has access to quality education as a fundamental human right and as a prerequisite for human development.

Building intercultural understanding: through protection of heritage and support for cultural diversity. UNESCO created the idea of World Heritage to protect sites of outstanding universal value.

Pursuing scientific cooperation: such as early warning systems for tsunamis or trans-boundary water management agreements, to strengthen ties between nations and societies.

Protecting freedom of expression: an essential condition for democracy, development and human dignity.

UNESCO  known as the “intellectual” agency” of the United Nations. Audrey Azoulay is the current director general of UNESCO.

UN specialized agencies are international organizations that coordinate their work with the United Nations through negotiated agreements.

UN17 Specialized Agencies:

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

ICAO: International Civil Aviation Organization

IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development

ILO: International Labour Organization

IMF: International Monetary Fund

IMO: International Maritime Organization

ITU: International Telecommunication Union

UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization

UNIDO: United Nations Industrial Development Organization

UNWTO: World Tourism Organization

UPU: Universal Postal Union

WHO: World Health Organization

WIPO: World Intellectual Property Organization

WMO: World Meteorological Organization

World Bank Group:

IBRD: International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

IDA: International Development Association

IFC: International Finance Corporation