UNESCO Adds Central Asian Yurt to Intangible Heritage List

The traditional yurt of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Karakalpakstan has been added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, following a decision on December 10 at the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee in New Delhi.

Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan, highlighted that the joint nomination by Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan dates back to 2014, with Uzbekistan later proposing to include the Karakalpak yurt, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

She called the inscription “a historic day” and praised craftsmen, researchers, and tradition-bearers for preserving yurt-making knowledge.

The nomination emphasizes that for Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, and Karakalpaks, the yurt is more than a dwelling-it is a symbol of national identity, a model of the universe, and a heritage craft passed down through generations. Yurts are portable, eco-friendly homes, central to festivals, rituals, and family traditions.

This year, UNESCO reviewed 68 nominations, bringing its heritage lists to 812 elements from 153 countries, reflecting the global richness of intangible cultural traditions.