Hadrami Dan Added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List

The Hadrami Dan included on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity following a long and diligent process. Photo: X
The Hadrami Dan included on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity following a long and diligent process. Photo: X
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Hadrami Dan Added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity List

The Hadrami Dan included on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity following a long and diligent process. Photo: X
The Hadrami Dan included on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity following a long and diligent process. Photo: X

The Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee of UNESCO, during its ongoing 20th session in New Delhi, included the Hadrami Dan on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Hadrami Dan is a traditional performance and community gathering that combines spontaneous poetry, music and dance, widespread practiced across Hadhramaut Governorate. A typical Hadrami Dan gathering includes at least one singer and poet, with the audience seated in rows or circles.

Yemen’s Ambassador to UNESCO Mohammed Jumaih said the Hadrami Dan deserves this recognition, following a long and diligent process to reach this goal.

Jumaih thanked the Ministry of Culture and its staff, and the National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science.

He offered special gratitude to the Hadhramaut Foundation for Culture, which undertook the preparation and financing of the nomination file.

He also expressed his appreciation to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee, its Chairperson (India’s Ambassador to UNESCO, Vishal Sharma), the committee members, its secretariat, and the Evaluation Body experts for their efforts.

Minister of Information, Culture, and Tourism Muammar Al-Eryani in the Yemeni government said this achievement represents “a well-deserved international recognition of one of the most important creative expressions in Hadhramaut and Yemen in general.”

The Hadrami Dan embodies the depth of Yemeni cultural identity, which successive generations have preserved despite the harsh transformations the country has undergone, he said.

Al-Eryani added that it is the result of a joint national effort involving the Ministry of Culture and the Hadhramaut Foundation for Culture, alongside the prominent role played by Jumaih in following up on the issue within UNESCO.



Trevi Fountain Fee Takes Effect as Rome Seeks to Manage Tourist Crowds

02 February 2026, Italy, Rome: First day of paid admission to the Trevi Fountain basin for tourists and non-residents of Rome. (dpa)
02 February 2026, Italy, Rome: First day of paid admission to the Trevi Fountain basin for tourists and non-residents of Rome. (dpa)
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Trevi Fountain Fee Takes Effect as Rome Seeks to Manage Tourist Crowds

02 February 2026, Italy, Rome: First day of paid admission to the Trevi Fountain basin for tourists and non-residents of Rome. (dpa)
02 February 2026, Italy, Rome: First day of paid admission to the Trevi Fountain basin for tourists and non-residents of Rome. (dpa)

Tourists hoping to get close to the Trevi Fountain had to pay 2 euros ($2.35) starting Monday as the city of Rome inaugurated a new fee structure to help raise money and control crowds at one of the world’s most celebrated waterworks.

The first tourists to pass through the new ticket check seemed unfazed by the tariff, noting it was a small price to pay for quality access to a fountain made famous by Federico Fellini’s movie “La Dolce Vita.”

“Before, there were problems accessing the fountain. There were a lot of people. Now, it’s very easy,” said Ilhan Musbah, a tourist from Morocco. “You can take photos, you feel good, you’re comfortable, and on top of that 2 euros is not much.”

The tourist fee was rolled out in conjunction with a new 5-euro (nearly $6) tourist ticket fee for some city museums. In both cases, Rome residents are exempt from the fees and the extra revenue will actually expand the number of city-run museums that are free for registered Roman residents.

It's all part of the Eternal City’s efforts to manage tourist flows in a particularly congested part of town, improve the experience and offset the maintenance costs of preserving all of Rome’s cultural heritage. Officials estimate it could net the city 6.5 million euros ($7.6 million) extra a year.

The city decided to impose the Trevi Fountain fee after seeing positive results already from a yearlong experiment to stagger and limit the number of visitors who can reach the front edge of the basin by imposing lines and pathways for entrance and exit.

“I think tourists were shocked by the fact that the city of Rome is only asking for 2 euros for a site of this level,” Alessandro Onorato, Rome’s assessor of tourism, said Monday. “I believe that if the Trevi Fountain were in New York, they would have charged at least $100.”

The fee follows a similar ticketing system at Rome’s Pantheon monument and the more complicated tourist day-tripper tax that the lagoon city of Venice imposed last year in a bid to ease overtourism and make the city more livable for residents.

The Italian fees still pale in comparison to the 45% price hike that French authorities announced for the Louvre Museum for most non-European visitors, where tickets can now run to 32 euros ($37) from 22 euros ($26).

The Trevi fee, which can be paid in advance online, enables tourists to get close to the fountain during prime-time daylight hours. The view for those admiring the late Baroque masterpiece from the piazza above remains free, as it is up close after hours.

The towering fountain features the Titan god Oceanus flanked by falls cascading down the travertine rocks into a shallow turquoise pool, where Marcello Mastroianni and Anita Ekberg famously took their nighttime dip in “La Dolce Vita.”

While bathing is prohibited nowadays, legend has it that visitors who toss a coin over their shoulders and make a wish will return to Rome.


Red Sea Museum Strengthens Community Connection to Cultural Heritage through Enriching Knowledge Experiences

The program featured interactive workshops for children - SPA
The program featured interactive workshops for children - SPA
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Red Sea Museum Strengthens Community Connection to Cultural Heritage through Enriching Knowledge Experiences

The program featured interactive workshops for children - SPA
The program featured interactive workshops for children - SPA

As part of its cultural program, the Red Sea Museum presented a series of high-quality activities. These included art workshops, cultural dialogues, performance showcases, and family-oriented programs.

Together, they offered an enriching knowledge experience that blends the Red Sea’s cultural heritage with contemporary creative practices. The interactive content targeted diverse segments of society through innovative educational approaches, SPA reported.

The program covered a wide range of themes, including traditional architecture, historical photography, music, travel literature, maritime history, and public health in the Red Sea region. Activities were held across the museum’s facilities and in Jeddah’s Historic District. They were presented within a cultural framework that reintroduces heritage as a living, evolving element and a source of inspiration.

The program also featured interactive workshops for children. These introduced participants to the fundamentals of cartography and navigation. In parallel, specialized workshops revived historical photographic printing techniques through a contemporary approach.
In addition, the program included intellectual talks on traditional architecture and its relationship to identity and modern transformations.

It also offered practical workshops tracing the evolution of navigation from past to present. These activities combined theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience.

Through these initiatives, the Red Sea Museum continues to strengthen its role as a cultural anchor for the community. It builds effective bridges of engagement with various audiences through diverse programs and guided tours for schools, universities, and associations.

This approach broadens opportunities for reflection and learning, enhances the museum’s standing as a knowledge destination, and strengthens connection to the region’s cultural identity.


Farasan Islands Showcase Cultural Heritage at Jazan Festival

The exhibition serves as a cultural window into the unique character of the Farasan Islands - SPA
The exhibition serves as a cultural window into the unique character of the Farasan Islands - SPA
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Farasan Islands Showcase Cultural Heritage at Jazan Festival

The exhibition serves as a cultural window into the unique character of the Farasan Islands - SPA
The exhibition serves as a cultural window into the unique character of the Farasan Islands - SPA

The Farasan Islands, renowned for their rich cultural and human heritage, are prominently featured in a dedicated section at the Cultural Street during Jazan Festival 2026.

This exhibition serves as a cultural window into the unique character of the Farasan Islands, showcasing traditional crafts and professions practiced by islanders in the past and preserved today, SPA reported.

The exhibits highlight elements of maritime heritage and traditional lifestyles, including tools used in pearl diving, a historical profession, and handicrafts that demonstrate the skill of local artisans in transforming natural materials into art.

The Farasan Islands section captivated visitors at the Cultural Street, offering a comprehensive view of the islands and reflecting the richness of their cultural identity.