Cultural heritage

The ancient archives of Chinguetti

In northwestern Mauritania lies Chinguetti, a historic trading post and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city still has several libraries with Arabic manuscripts – many of them from the late Middle Ages.
Kirkpinar: Turkey's annual oil wrestling tournament

Held each year in late June or early July in Turkey's northwestern town of Edirne, Kirkpinar – on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2010 – is officially recognised as the longest continuously running sporting competition in the world. By Konstantin Novakovic
Nowruz: New Year, Spring Festival and National Holiday

In Persian and Central Asian cultures, Nowruz has theIn Persian and Central Asian cultures, Nowruz has the same significance as Christmas in Europe, Thanksgiving in the USA or the New Year in China. The celebration is preceded by days of preparation.
Nowruz: New Year, Spring Festival and National Holiday

In Persian and Central Asian cultures, Nowruz has the same significance as Christmas in Europe, Thanksgiving in the USA or the New Year in China. The celebration is preceded by days of preparation.
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage 2022

Once a year, UNESCO inscribes traditions and customs on the Intangible Cultural Heritage List. A selection from the year 2022.
75 years of independence: 10 reasons for India

On August 15, 1947, India – which until then had been a British protectorate – became independent. We mark its 75th anniversary with a tour of the country.
Muslims celebrate Eid ul-Fitr

The end of Ramadan 2023 has seen Muslims worldwide gearing up for the festival of Eid ul-Fitr, which takes place this year on 21 and 22 April. By Sonia Phalnikar
Chefchaouen: Morocco's 'Blue Pearl'

Nestled in the Rif Mountains of northwest Morocco, Chefchaouen – where Jews, Amazigh and Arabs settled to impart a unique blend of cultural identity – seems lost in a maze of myriad shades of blue.
Idlib: Life among the ruins

War has been raging in Syria for eleven years. There are 2.8 million internally displaced people living in the Idlib region. Some of the families there have settled on archaeological sites to avoid paying rent. By Diana Hodali (with Reuters)
Bicentenary of Napoleon: A controversial legacy

Following his military conquests, Napoleon appropriated countless works of art to establish a ‘universal museum’ in Paris. The Napoleonic Louvre inspired a race to establish national museums and was a precursor to the colonial plundering of the rest of the world.
Wings of joy: Kabul's bird market

For some Afghans weighed down by decades of war and struggle, a little comfort and distraction can be found in the company of birds. As Mohammad Ismail visited Ka Faroshi bird market in the heart of Kabul's old city in January 2018, war seemed a long way off.
Image of the day: Nowruz celebration minus the festivities

Persian New Year is usually the time when family and friends come together to welcome the spring. In other years the streets would be full of people celebrating. Many Iranians have modified their celebrations in response to the corona crisis.