Intangible Cultural Heritage: Myanmar’s Thanaka culture receives preliminary approval

Myanmar’s traditional Thanaka culture has received preliminary approval for inclusion in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, following a positive assessment by the UNESCO Evaluation Body.

The Department of Archaeology and National Museum announced that the nomination had been recommended for inscription after meeting the required criteria, including its importance in daily community life, transmission from one generation to another and efforts to preserve the tradition.

Thanaka, a traditional natural cosmetic made from the bark of Thanaka trees, has been widely used by Myanmar people for generations. It is commonly applied to the face for beauty and skin protection and remains an important part of Myanmar's cultural identity and daily life.

The preliminary approval marks an important step towards international recognition of Myanmar's traditional Thanaka culture.

The final decision on the nomination is expected to be made at the 21st session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, scheduled to take place in December in Xiamen, Fujian Province in China.