🔥 Fire Ritual: This week, the Aigine CRC team and practitioners collaborating with our center participated in the 19th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The session took place in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay, from December 2 to 6. On December 2, as part of the cultural program of the session, Chynar Seidakhmatova conducted the Umai Sham (Women’s Fire) ritual—a fire ceremony. The ritual was accompanied by a performance on the ooz-komuz by Temirbek Toktogaziev and a traditional meditative song performed by Sadyr uulu Zhumagazy. Participation in the session provided the Aigine CRC team with the opportunity to showcase elements of Kyrgyz cultural heritage and exchange experiences with other participants. The trip was supported by the Pawan Foundation.

⛰️ Field Trip to Petroglyphs: On December 3, the Aigine CRC team, together with practitioners Chynar Seidakhmatova, Temirbek Toktogaziev, and Zhumagazy Sadyr uulu, conducted a field visit to the petroglyphs located in the southeastern region of Paraguay, in an area known as Ita Letra. During the expedition, the team documented the stone carvings and discussed the symbols etched onto their surfaces. The work on studying the petroglyphs will continue after the team’s return to Kyrgyzstan. On the same day, the team visited the city of Yaguarón and its ancient church. The church, built by the indigenous peoples of Paraguay, represents a unique blend of Guaraní craftsmanship and their interpretation of the Franciscan faith during the period from 1640 to 1772.

📒 Central Asian Cultural Elements in the Representative List: During the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, several cultural elements from the Central Asian region were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Among them were the traditional musical instrument rubab, jointly nominated by Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, as well as the Betashar ceremony, nominated by Kazakhstan. We extend our congratulations to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and the Central Asian region as a whole for their significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage and their successful participation in the UNESCO session.