New Delhi, December 11, 2025 – In a significant victory for Algerian cultural heritage, UNESCO has explicitly recognized Algeria’s priority in the registration of the Caftan as an integral part of its rich cultural tradition. The decision was reached during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in New Delhi.
According to a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad and African Affairs, the committee approved the modification of the element registered in 2024 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This modification explicitly includes the Caftan, renaming the Algerian element as: “Festive Dress of Women in the Great Algerian East: Knowledge and Skills Relating to the Sewing and Ornamentation of the Gandoura, M’lehfa, Caftan, Qat, and Lihâf.”
Furthermore, the committee endorsed the amendment of the file entitled “Rituals and Craft Skills Associated with the Bridal Costume Tradition of Tlemcen,” registered since 2012, by adding the phrase “Libsa Caftan” (Caftan Dress) and its translation into both French and English within the file.
“These decisions represent a new and important diplomatic success for Algeria, both on the international cultural stage and within the framework of multilateral diplomacy,” the Foreign Ministry’s statement emphasized. “They strongly affirm the historical and cultural precedence of Algeria’s registration of the Caftan on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and reinforce international recognition of this intangible heritage of exceptional value.”
The decision, as stated, reinforces Algeria’s position on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It constitutes an explicit acknowledgment and a well-deserved culmination of the State’s relentless efforts to valorize, preserve, and promote Algeria’s rich cultural heritage, a product of centuries of history reflecting the authenticity of our nation. This explicit recognition also validates the approach taken within the framework of implementing the instructions of the highest authorities of the country to ensure the promotion of our cultural heritage in all its components and forms and to protect it from all attempts at imitation, appropriation, and falsification.
