Kazakh traditional wedding ritual added to UNESCO heritage list

ALMATY, May 16 (Xinhua) -- The traditional Kazakh wedding ritual Betashar has been inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Kazakh presidential press service reported Friday.

UNESCO Almaty Office Director Amir Piric presented the official certificate to Kazakh State Counsellor Erlan Karin during a meeting of the National Commission for UNESCO and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).

The meeting also emphasized the need to step up efforts to include Kazakhstan's archival, historical, and documentary materials in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. It was noted that the script detailing the genealogy of Kazakh khans was inscribed on the register in April this year.

Betashar, which dates back to medieval times, is the ceremonial unveiling of the bride's face during a wedding. Enditem