Sindh's 'Boreendo' on UNESCO's list

'Boreendo', an ancient folk instrument of Sindh, has secured a place on Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, a recognition granted during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in New Delhi this week.

The Pakistan High Commission in India said the inscription marked a significant cultural milestone, noting that the Boreendo — a clay, gourd-shaped wind instrument long associated with pastoral communities in Sindh — represents one of South Asia's oldest surviving musical traditions, with origins tracing back to the Indus Valley civilisation.

Officials described 'Boreendo' as a vessel of memory, pointing to its 5,000-year lineage and its role in carrying fragments of ancient soundscapes into modern Sindhi culture. They said the inscription recognises and celebrates Pakistan's cultural traditions and humanity's shared heritage.

"The Boreendo is a living echo of the five-thousand-year-old Indus Valley civilisation and stands as a symbol of human creativity and the region's cultural soul," High Commission First Secretary Shoaib Sarwar said, adding that the decision affirms the enduring value of Pakistan's living traditions.

The inscription came as the Unesco committee met in the Indian capital to review 68 global nominations, ranging from Argentine cuarteto dancing and Yemeni musical poetry to Italian cuisine and India's Diwali festival, each vying for a place on the coveted list. Officials said the listings aim to protect diverse cultural practices while raising public understanding of their social and economic significance.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told delegates the designations create "ripples well beyond the immediate decision", strengthening identity and sustaining livelihoods through global visibility.

The meeting, held inside Delhi's historic Red Fort complex, is examining submissions from 78 countries, including entries such as Bulgarian bagpipes, Swiss yodelling, Chilean circus traditions, Ghanaian highlife, and longstanding culinary traditions including Egypt's koshary and Cyprus's ancient Commandaria wine.

Meanwhile, Italy's bid to secure Unesco heritage status for its cuisine has advanced after a favourable preliminary assessment, with officials in Rome presenting the effort as a way to preserve regional diversity and protect culinary rituals central to both cultural identity and tourism. The Delhi session is expected to conclude with final decisions on new inscriptions this week, placing 'Boreendo' among a global catalogue of cherished traditions that Unesco says are essential to cultural continuity. (WITH INPUT FROM AGENCIES)