Page 27 - Demo

Protecting Cultural RootsCultural rituals are an important part of the UNESCO list. An example is the Tlemcen wedding ritual in Algeria. The ritual begins in the bride%u2019s parents%u2019 home, where friends and female relatives help the bride prepare for the ceremony. The bride is first dressed in a golden silk dress. Symbolic henna2 designs are applied to her hands. Before leaving the house for the ceremony, her face is wrapped in a golden silk veil.3Later, during the wedding feast, the bride removes her veil, ready to be married. The tradition has passed from one generation to the next, and marks the community%u2019s cultural identity.Some of the cultural items on the list are dying out and in need of protection. An example is Al Sadu%u2014traditional weaving in the United Arab Emirates. The tradition was once widely practiced by communities of desert Bedouin women. However, many Bedouin have now moved to cities, and so the practice has begun to disappear. Today, Al Sadu is mostly practiced by older women whose numbers are declining.The main goal of UNESCO is to promote peace through respect for the world%u2019s varied cultures and common humanity. It hopes that by bringing attention to cultural traditions such as Al Sadu, they will be more likely to survive. Cultural traditions are important to fight for, says C%u00e9cile Duvelle of UNESCO. %u201cThe more globalized the world becomes,%u201d she says, %u201cthe more important it is not to lose these traditional roots.%u201d2Henna is a type of dye often used for coloring hair and skin.3A veilis a thin piece of material that covers the face. EFGAlgerian women decorate a bride%u2019s hands with henna during a Tlemcen wedding.56Unit 4A