Cultural heritage meaningless without information: IRNA chief

Tehran, Dec 13, IRNA – Managing director of the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) says that the cultural heritage would not be registered without providing information about it. Mohammad Khoddadi made the remarks here Tuesday at a day-long Training Workshop for Journalists Reporting on Intangible Cultural Heritage that was held at IRNA central office. 'Imparting information gives sense and meaning to (cultural) heritage,' said Khoddadi while stressing the importance of the role media play to that end. Intangible cultural heritage, as he said, 'is not an object, but something in our mind, and it is a world of realities.' IRNA chief further described intangible cultural heritage as an invaluable asset which should be used. According to UNESCO website, the term ‘cultural heritage’ has changed content considerably in recent decades, partially owing to the instruments developed by UNESCO. Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts. 1378/IRNA