Traditional Thai massage gets UNESCO heritage status

The body-folding, sharp-elbowed techniques of Thai massage were added Thursday to UNESCO's list of "Intangible Cultural Heritage". From upscale Bangkok spas and Phuket beach fronts to modest street-side shophouses, "nuad Thai" -- or Thai massage -- is ubiquitous across the kingdom, where an hour of the back-straightening discipline can cost as little as $5.

Cancale in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel in northern France may already be famous for its oyster farms. But now the town is dreaming of recognition on the UNESCO heritage list.

Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania's joint entry of couscous has earned a place on the UN agency's list of the world's Intangible Cultural Heritage. It has been hailed as an "example of international cooperation."

Dutch ice skaters gather at dawn for one last glide at Kinderdijk frozen dike near Rotterdam, as temperatures are set to increase.

Australia will strongly oppose a UNESCO plan to list the Great Barrier Reef as "in danger" over its deterioration caused by climate change, the government said Tuesday. The UN body released a draft report on Monday recommending the reef's World Heritage status be downgraded because of its dramatic coral decline. of the Great Barrier Reef

The historic town in northern Ethiopia is famous for its 12th-century rock-hewn churches. The US has urged for rebels to "protect this cultural heritage" and to end the violence.

Kinshasa residents welcomed on Wednesday UNESCO's decision to add Congolese rumba to its list of global cultural treasures, although some older fans felt the genre lacked the storytelling power it had in the past.

An estimated 10 million jobs were lost in the creative industries in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a report from the United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO. The organisation estimates that shutdowns and other restrictions incurred a loss of $750 billion to the global economy. The UN body is calling for better social protection for workers in the arts, many of whom lost their income for long periods during the pandemic. We discuss the report's findings with UNESCO's Berta de Sancristóbal.

"Everyone has the right to education." This phrase is part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It refers to education in all countries, for girls and boys as well for all adults. In Perspective, we spoke to David Atchoarena, head of UNESCO's Institute for Lifelong Learning. He told us why adult education is not just a right, but also essential to tackling the world's social, economic and environmental uncertainty. He also explained why some groups, such as migrants and prisoners, are still struggling to access education.

Canberra will oppose plans to add the Great Barrier Reef to the endangered UNESCO World Heritage site list. The Great Barrier Reef has been considered a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1981.

French bread has found its way onto the UN culture agency's intangible heritage list. The honor is a crumb of comfort for France's traditional bakers, for whom cheaper competition is on the rise.

After cultural assets were damaged by rioters who stormed Brazil's government quarters, UNESCO will join efforts to determine which artworks require restoration. After cultural assets were damaged by rioters who stormed Brazil's government quarters, UNESCO will join efforts to determine which artworks require restoration.