Paris seeks UNESCO heritage status for its zinc roofers

The French culture ministry has chosen the zinc roofers as the country’s entry for the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage to be decided at the UN body’s session in Paraguayan capital Asuncion.

Zinc Roofers of Paris

• About Zinc Roofers: Zinc roofers of Paris are skilled craftsmen responsible for creating and maintaining the distinctive zinc rooftops that have become a hallmark of the city’s architectural identity. 
  • These rooftops are made from sheets of zinc that are meticulously cut, shaped, and installed by these artisans. 
• Historical: The tradition dates back to the 19th century and has played a significant role in shaping the aesthetic of Paris.
• Usage and Significance: Zinc roofing is not only valued for its durability and weather resistance but also for its ability to be molded into the intricate designs that contribute to the beauty of Parisian buildings. 
  • The rooftops, with their soft grey tones, have become an iconic feature of the city’s skyline.
• Criticism: Zinc – especially when it is darker – is a strong absorbent of heat, meaning in summer buildings retain the sun’s rays, and in the smaller flats  on the top floor, temperatures can reach dangerously high. 

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What is UNESCO’s Convention for Safeguarding the Intangible Heritage?

• UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, adopted in 2003
• AIM: It is an international treaty aimed at protecting and promoting intangible cultural heritage worldwide.

•  This convention recognizes the importance of intangible cultural heritage as a living, evolving form of culture that is vital for maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization.
• Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage List: UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide.
  • Intangible cultural heritage is:Traditional, contemporary and living at the same time: Intangible cultural heritage does not only represent inherited traditions from the past but also contemporary rural and urban practices in which diverse cultural groups take part;
    • Inclusive: It contributes to social cohesion, encouraging a sense of identity and responsibility which helps individuals to feel part of one or different communities and to feel part of society at large;
    • Representative: It thrives on its basis in communities and depends on those whose knowledge of traditions, skills and customs are passed on to the rest of the community, from generation to generation, or to other communities;
    • Community-based: Intangible cultural heritage can only be heritage when it is recognized as such by the communities, groups or individuals that create, maintain and transmit it 

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List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of India

The following 15 traditions and rituals from India have been included on the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of India’ list:

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