UNESCO awards reggae music protected status
The genre joins over 300 cultural treasures across the world.
Reggae music has just joined UNESCO's list of over 300 protected cultural treasures, CNN reports. The Jamaica-born genre was awarded protected status on Thursday at a UNESCO conference in Mauritius, and joins a Georgian form of wrestling called Chidaoba, and Irish hurling — all of which were inducted on Thursday. The UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage includes practices such as yoga, flamenco, and more.
A UNESCO rep told CNN in a press release that reggae music "functions as a vehicle of social commentary, as a cathartic experience, and means of praising God remain unchanged, and the music continues to provide a voice for all."
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