UAE Achieves Significant Cultural Milestones with New UNESCO Inscriptions and National Heritage Sites

The United Arab Emirates has significantly expanded its cultural heritage portfolio, achieving several landmark milestones in late 2025. These accomplishments include the inscription of four new elements on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the elevation of an existing element, and the designation of new national and international heritage sites.

UNESCO Intangible Heritage Recognitions

During the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in New Delhi from December 8 to 13, 2025, the UAE successfully secured the inscription of four distinct cultural practices. These newly recognized elements are:

• Al-Ahalla: A traditional performing art and the art of storytelling, inscribed as a national file.
• Bishat: A traditional men's cloak, registered as a joint Arab file.
• Zalfa al-Aroos: The bride's procession or dance, also registered as a joint Arab file.
• Kohl: The traditional black eye cosmetic, included as a joint Arab file.

In a further testament to the nation's safeguarding efforts, Al Sadu, the traditional Bedouin weaving craft, was successfully transferred from UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List. Al Sadu was initially inscribed in 2011, and its reclassification highlights the effectiveness of sustained preservation programs. These additions bring the total number of UAE elements on UNESCO's Representative List to 19.

New National and World Heritage Sites

Domestically, the UAE approved Sheikh Zayed Farm in Al Khawaneej as its third national site in 2025. This site joins Dar Al Etihad and Argoub Al Sedirah, recognized for its historical importance as a venue for pivotal meetings led by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan during the formation of the Union.

Internationally, the Faya Palaeolandscape in Sharjah was added to the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 2025. This recognition, announced at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris, acknowledges Faya's outstanding universal value as one of the oldest and most continuous records of early human presence in arid environments, spanning over 200,000 years. It is now the second site in the UAE to receive this distinction, following the cultural sites of Al Ain, inscribed in 2011.

Commitment to Heritage Preservation

These achievements underscore the UAE's unwavering commitment to preserving its rich cultural identity and showcasing it on the global stage. Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, Minister of Culture, described the inscription of the four new elements as a 'significant milestone in the UAE's ongoing efforts to safeguard its intangible cultural heritage'. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, emphasized that this success reflects 'Abu Dhabi's unwavering commitment to safeguarding living cultural heritage and celebrating it as a cornerstone of our national identity'.

Furthermore, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has identified and registered more than 60 modern heritage sites for preservation under its Modern Heritage Building Plaque program, an initiative announced in 2023. Plaques are being installed at these landmarks, with the Cultural Foundation being the first to receive one, highlighting their significance to Abu Dhabi's cultural identity.