United Arab Emirates · Food / Tobacco / Drink Processing
Harees (also known as Jareesh in some regional variants)
The slow, labor-intensive preparation of harees, a porridge-like dish of wheat and meat, inscribed by UNESCO in 2021 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity through a joint nomination led by the United Arab Emirates in collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman. Harees is prepared by cooking wheat and meat together over an extended period until the mixture breaks down into a smooth, thick, porridge-like consistency, historically requiring sustained hands-on labor to achieve the dish's characteristic texture. The dish holds a genuinely central place in Emirati social and religious life, specifically documented as a beloved staple served during Ramadan, at family gatherings, weddings, and both national and religious holidays, directly functioning to bring communities closer together through shared preparation and consumption. The UAE's Minister of Culture, Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qassimi, directly framed the 2021 UNESCO inscription as part of the country's ongoing commitment to preserving and carrying forward historical legacies and safeguarding intangible cultural heritage capable of bringing past traditions and ancestral knowledge to life; the joint nomination with Saudi Arabia and Oman reflects the dish's genuinely shared status across the wider Gulf region as a unifying culinary and cultural tradition.
Risk level: Thriving · Inscribed 2021 (18th session, Kasane, Botswana) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, through a joint nomination led by the United Arab Emirates in collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Sultanate of Oman
The specialized breath-hold free-diving technique and associated equipment used by Emirati pearl divers (ghais) to harvest oyster beds from the seabed of the Arabian Gulf, historically the economic foundation of Emirati coastal society…
The hand-construction of dhows, traditional single- or double-masted Arab sailing vessels, by shipwrights of the United Arab Emirates working without blueprints, using knowledge and skill transmitted directly from one generation to the…
The weaving and construction of the gargour, a dome-shaped fish trap central to traditional Emirati and wider Gulf fisheries, historically intricately woven from locally sourced palm fronds by specialist trap makers before transitioning to…
The weaving of wool, camel hair, and goat hair on horizontal ground looms by Bedouin women of the United Arab Emirates, inscribed by UNESCO in 2011 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding -- distinct from…
The weaving and braiding of dried date palm fronds into functional household, agricultural, and maritime objects, one of the United Arab Emirates' original handicrafts, born of necessity in a climate where palm trees historically…
The bespoke, made-to-order crafting of the khanjar, a short-bladed dagger that was an essential component of traditional Emirati men's attire, genuinely distinct from Saudi Arabia's own janbiyah/khanjar tradition (documented separately in…
The making of crystal perfume flacons — cut crystal and mold-blown crystal bottles for the major Paris perfume houses (Guerlain; Chanel; Dior; Hermès).
The seasonal mountain transhumance of sheep flocks between the Provence lowlands (winter pasture) and the high Alps (summer estive — mountain pasture above 1500 meters), and the management of the Sisteron lamb breed on aromatic mountain…
Perfume know-how in the Pays de Grasse, France, inscribed by UNESCO in 2018 as three linked skills: cultivating perfume plants, knowing and processing natural raw materials, and the art of perfume composition.
The cultivation and harvesting of the black Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum) — the 'black diamond' of French gastronomy.
The making of Mahón-Menorca cheese — the square-format pressed cheese of Menorca, made exclusively from raw Menorcan Frisona or Menorquina cow milk on the island.
The grinding and blending of Dijon mustard — France's most internationally recognized condiment — from brown mustard seeds (Brassica juncea) macerated in verjuice (unripe grape juice, traditionally from Burgundy) or white wine.