Lai Haraoba still outside UNESCO list
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 04 2025: No proposal has been made so far to include "Lai Haraoba" in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of Culture and Tourism has said in the Parliament today.

Lai Haraoba is a traditional festival and ritual celebrated in Manipur.

While no proposal has been made to include Lai haraoba as an intangible cultural heritage, it has been however included as an element in the National Inventory - a step required for inclusion in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, said Shekhawat.

The Minister of Culture and Tourism was answering a question raised by MP Dr Bimol Akoijam in the Lok Sabha.

Dr Bimol had asked whether the Government had taken any steps to include Lai Haraoba in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Answering the question, the Minister of Culture and Tourism informed that the Ministry of Culture through Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA), the nodal implementing agency for Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), examines proposals received from the community/ stakeholders for inclusion/nomination to the UNESCO's Representative List of ICH of Humanity.

For inclusion of an element in the UNESCO's Representative List of ICH, the State parties are required to submit nomination dossier on the relevant element for evaluation and examination by UNESCO Committee.

As per UNESCO's latest operational directives, each member State is permitted to nominate only one element every two years for possible inscription.

India has meanwhile nominated the Deepavali Festival for the 2024-25 cycle.

The nomination will be considered during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, scheduled to be held in New Delhi in December 2025, said the Minister.

Presently, no such proposal is under consideration for inclusion of Lai Haraoba to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, he added.

Shekhawat further informed that the inclusion in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity begins with the element being inventorized in the National Inventory.

For this purpose, detailed documentation - including videos, photographs, and a brief description of the element - is submitted for consideration.

This process has been completed for Lai Haraoba, which has been included as the 50th element in the National Inventory, said the Minister.

Comment