The cobza has been officially included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, announced by the president of the Commission for relations with UNESCO, Dumitrița Gliga. This is the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee, held in New Delhi, where Romania, together with the Republic of Moldova, submitted the file for the recognition of the cobza.
With this decision, the cobza becomes the 11th Romanian element recognized by UNESCO, highlighting the importance of protecting living cultural heritage. The instrument is valued not only for its sound but also for the craftsmanship involved in its making and the role of communities in preserving it. Dumitrița Gliga emphasized the importance of protecting cultural heritage for future generations and promoted coherent public policies in this regard. Romania's ambassador to UNESCO, Simona-Mirela Miculescu, mentioned that more and more women are embracing the cobza, transforming it into a symbol of creativity and cultural identity.
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