Press Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - UNESCO Intergovernmental Commission for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage11.12.2025

Translation:

The 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, held in the Indian capital New Delhi on Thursday, 11 December 2025, clearly and explicitly recognized Algeria’s precedence in registering the caftan as a fundamental component of its rich cultural heritage.

On this occasion, the Committee decided to amend the name of the element that was inscribed in 2024 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by explicitly including the caftan. The Algerian element now bears the following new designation:
“Festive women’s attire in Eastern Greater Algeria: knowledge and skills related to the tailoring and adornment of the gandoura, the melhfa, the caftan, the qat and the lihaf.”
The Committee also approved the amendment of the file entitled “Rituals and craftsmanship associated with the tradition of Tlemcen bridal attire,” inscribed since 2012 on the Representative List, by adding the expression “caftan attire,” and approved its translation in the file into both French and English.

These decisions constitute a new and significant diplomatic success for Algeria, both on the international cultural stage and within the framework of multilateral diplomacy. They strongly reaffirm the historical and cultural precedence of Algeria in the registration of the caftan on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and reinforce international recognition of this intangible heritage of exceptional value.

This decision further strengthens Algeria’s standing on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and represents an explicit acknowledgment and well-deserved recognition of the sustained and determined efforts of the State aimed at promoting, safeguarding, and showcasing Algeria’s rich cultural heritage— the product of centuries of history reflecting the depth and authenticity of the nation. This explicit recognition also embodies the soundness of the approach adopted in implementing the directives of the country’s highest authorities to ensure the promotion of our cultural heritage in all its components and forms, and to protect it from any attempts at imitation, appropriation, or falsification.