Musawa Receives UNESCO Recognition for Kano Durbar Festival

UNESCO has awarded the certificate of inscription for the Kano Durbar Festival to Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy.
Dr. Hajo Sani, Nigeria’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, delivered a congratulatory message to the minister in Abuja during the week, commending the government and people of Nigeria on the inscription of the Durbar Festival as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
This recognition highlights the festival’s beauty, cultural significance, and role in fostering unity among the people of Kano.

She noted that the nomination was approved by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and encouraged Nigeria to pursue additional inscriptions, emphasizing the numerous benefits this recognition brings to the nation and local communities.

Stressing the importance of preserving the festival, she called for collective responsibility to ensure its sustainability.
“The Inscription of the Kano Durbar on the Representative List brings a lot of benefits for Nigeria and the local communities, and also calls for greater responsibilities of government and all stakeholders to maintain the Durbar Festival and keep it sustainable within the scope of its new international status.

“It is on record that this Inscription has brought the total number of items on all Intangible lists to eight. At the 18th Session in Botswana, the Sango Oyo and a multinational inscription on Midwifery on Knowledge, skills and practice by eight other nations and Nigeria were approved”, she said.
Upon receiving the certificate, Musawa highlighted the significance of showcasing Nigeria’s diverse cultures, which embody elements from across the globe. She pledged to intensify efforts to secure more cultural inscriptions, acknowledging the economic benefits and job creation opportunities they bring.

Expressing her enthusiasm, she reaffirmed her commitment to diversifying the economy by promoting Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, aiming to attract various ethnic groups and foster greater unity.

NAN/Oluchi