The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have inscribed two Iranian rituals and one decorative art on its list of world’s intangible heritage. The UNESCO said it had included the ritual of Eftari and its socio-cultural traditions in its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity based on a joint case submitted by Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Eftari, known in many Arab Muslim countries as Iftar, is a ceremony observed at sunset during the holy month of Ramadan in which Muslims break their fasting and engage in social and cultural activities. In another inclusion, UNESCO inscribed Tazhib, the Iranian art of illumination, on its list of intangible heritage based on a request by four countries of Iran, Tajikistan, Turkey and Uzbekistan. Tazhib is a centuries-old decorative art practiced on the pages of manuscripts, calligraphic texts and miniatures. The UN cultural agency also listed Sadeh celebration as a global form of intangible heritage based on a case submitted by Iran and Tajikistan. Dating back to the Achaemenid Empire, Sadeh is a festival held by the Zoroastrian community in Iran and other countries in mid-winter to honor fire and to defeat the forces of darkness and cold. The inscriptions were granted during UNESCO’s 18th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held on December 4-9 in the Republic of Botswana. With 24 items, Iran ranks 5th in the world for the number of intangible cultural heritage registered by the UNESCO. The country has registered over 3,000 intangible heritage items nationally.  Main source: https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/12/06/715920/UNESCO-heritage-list-Iran-Eftari-Tazhib-Sadeh