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The Ancient Embroidery Tradition That Turns Clothing Into Works of Art

The Ancient Embroidery Tradition That Turns Clothing Into Works of Art

Balochi needlework, known as Balòči gòd dòči, is a distinctive handicraft created by the Baloch people, an ethnic group native to the Balochistan r...

Rexhep Rexhepi Wins Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix at 2026 GPHG Awards

Rexhep Rexhepi Wins Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix at 2026 GPHG Awards

Rexhep Rexhepi Wins Aiguille d’Or Grand Prix at 2026 GPHG Awards

Mexico Advances Protocol for Repatriation of Cultural Goods, Aligning with 'Pact for the Future'

Mexico Advances Protocol for Repatriation of Cultural Goods, Aligning with 'Pact for the Future'

Mexico's Ministry of Culture, through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), is actively developing a 'Protocol for the Repatriation and Recovery of Cultural Goods.' This initiative, supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UNESCO, aims to establish a clear state policy to combat the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage. A second workshop for drafting this protocol was held on November 4, 2026, in Mexico City, bringing together specialists from various INAH centers and government bodies. The protocol is designed to systematize processes for handling cases of repatriation, recovery, or return of cultural property, covering legal frameworks, action strategies, and the public registry of cultural property. Carlos Tejada, National Officer for Culture at UNESCO in Mexico, lauded Mexico's efforts, emphasizing its alignment with international cooperation goals highlighted in the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT), the 'Pact for the...

Dominican Republic Enacts Decree Barring Mass Biometric Identification Without Court Order

Dominican Republic Enacts Decree Barring Mass Biometric Identification Without Court Order

The Dominican Republic, under a decree signed by President Luis Abinader on November 2, has prohibited government institutions from conducting mass biometric identification in public spaces without a specific court order. This new regulation, Decree 787-26, approves an Artificial Intelligence Ethics Code for Public Services, which applies to all public administration bodies, institutions, and companies. The code specifically bans indiscriminate biometric identification methods like face, voice, and gait recognition in public areas unless there is a clear legitimate purpose, sufficient legal basis, and independent oversight, in addition to a court order. The decree also forbids generalized social scoring, predictive criminal profiling based on residence or ethnicity, autonomous criminal sentencing, and autonomous weapons. While not a general ban on biometric systems, the code mandates Ethical and Rights Impact Assessments for any high-impact AI system before deployment, especially those affecting rights, pu...

Mumbai: A Coastal Metropolis Blending History, Culture, and Modernity

Mumbai: A Coastal Metropolis Blending History, Culture, and Modernity

Mumbai: A Coastal Metropolis Blending History, Culture, and Modernity

Mexico Advances Protocol for Repatriation of Cultural Goods, Aligned with International Cooperation Efforts

Mexico Advances Protocol for Repatriation of Cultural Goods, Aligned with International Cooperation Efforts

Mexico is actively developing a 'Protocol for the Repatriation and Recovery of Cultural Goods' to systematize the process of recovering cultural property. This initiative, supported by UNESCO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), involves workshops with specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and its regional centers. The second workshop, held on November 4, 2026, at the National Museum of History in Mexico City, focused on the legal framework, action strategies, and the public registry of cultural property. José Luis Perea González, Technical Secretary of INAH, emphasized the need for global protocols to combat illicit trafficking and preserve cultural heritage. Carlos Tejada, National Officer for Culture at UNESCO in Mexico, highlighted Mexico's commitment to a defined state policy against illicit trafficking, aligning it with international cooperation efforts such as the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT), the Pac...

UNESCO Peru Promotes Comprehensive Sport Vision for Human Development

UNESCO Peru Promotes Comprehensive Sport Vision for Human Development

UNESCO Peru Promotes Comprehensive Sport Vision for Human Development

UNESCO Intensifies Global Efforts Against Abusive Lawsuits Silencing Journalists

UNESCO Intensifies Global Efforts Against Abusive Lawsuits Silencing Journalists

UNESCO is actively addressing Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) that aim to silence journalists, as part of its Global Initiative on Strategic Lawsuits against Freedom of Expression. This initiative, funded by the Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists and the Global Media Defence Fund, focuses on strengthening legal safeguards and judicial capacity. Since its establishment in 2020, the Global Media Defence Fund has provided support to over 11,000 journalists, 1,600 lawyers, and 300 media organizations. UNESCO also supports anti-SLAPP reforms and judicial training in countries like Moldova and Ukraine, working with partners to enhance legal protections for journalists and respond to threats against media freedom. The organization observes World Press Freedom Day annually on May 3 to emphasize the critical role of journalism in upholding democratic values and fostering informed societies.

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site

Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge Designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, spanning southeastern Georgia and a portion of northeastern Florida, has been officially designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This recognition marks the first time a property managed entirely by the U.S. National Wildlife Refuge System has received such a designation. The Okefenokee, known as the 'land of the trembling earth' by Indigenous peoples, is one of the world's rarest surviving wetland ecosystems. Its inscription on the World Heritage List places it alongside other celebrated American landscapes like Yellowstone and Yosemite. The designation acknowledges the swamp's outstanding ecological processes and its importance for biodiversity, supporting over 1,270 plant and vertebrate species, including 24 globally threatened ones. The refuge's unique characteristics include its vast collage of open prairies, cypress forests, pine uplands, and its role in feeding the Suwannee and St. Marys rivers. Beneath its dark waters lies a significant accumulation of pe...

UNESCO to Host Premiere of 'Alboran, an Ocean as Our Heritage' Documentary in Paris

UNESCO to Host Premiere of 'Alboran, an Ocean as Our Heritage' Documentary in Paris

On November 24, 2026, UNESCO Headquarters in Paris will host the premiere of 'Alboran, un océan en héritage,' a new documentary by underwater photographer and filmmaker Alexis Rosenfeld. The film explores the Alboran Sea, a marine area where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic, known for its rich and lesser-known biodiversity. The documentary also highlights the threat of illegal fishing in the region. The event will be hosted by science communicator Jamy Gourmaud and will include a post-screening discussion with the film's team. Prior to the evening premiere, approximately 750 secondary school students from the Paris region will attend a UNESCO Campus XL session, where they will preview the documentary and engage in discussions with experts about ocean threats and protection.

UNESCO and Partners Launch Initiative to Support Sustainable Tourism Development in Uganda

UNESCO and Partners Launch Initiative to Support Sustainable Tourism Development in Uganda

UNESCO, in collaboration with the European Union, Enabel, the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), has launched the Sustainable Tourism Value Chain Initiative in Uganda. This consortium aims to foster inclusive and sustainable tourism development by combining expertise across various sectors. UNESCO focuses on culture, nature, and people, while Enabel supports destination development and value chain strengthening. UNCDF promotes local economic and financing mechanisms, and UNDP works on tourism policy alignment. The initiative recently convened heritage, conservation, creative, academic, and community stakeholders to draft a collective roadmap for sustainable tourism. This approach emphasizes integrating local knowledge and community priorities with international standards for heritage safeguarding and creative sector growth, ensuring that the benefits of tourism are tangible for the local populations who sustain it.

North Korea's Taekwondo Nomination Recommended for UNESCO Heritage List, Joint Listing with South Korea Fails

North Korea's Taekwondo Nomination Recommended for UNESCO Heritage List, Joint Listing with South Korea Fails

An evaluation body advising UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has recommended that North Korea's taekwondo nomination be inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This recommendation, reported by Korean outlets on November 4 and 5, 2026, pertains to 'Taekwon-Do, Traditional Martial Art in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.' The final decision is anticipated at the committee's 21st session in Xiamen, China, scheduled from November 30 to December 5, 2026. Efforts for a joint listing with South Korea, which is home to Kukkiwon and World Taekwondo, did not materialize. A 2018 agreement between World Taekwondo and the International Taekwon-Do Federation (ITF) aimed for a joint inscription, but exchanges ceased in 2022. South Korea filed its own taekwondo nomination in March 2026, focusing on dojang training culture, but faced obstacles including strained inter-Korean relations, taekwondo's absence fro...