UNESCO Adds Iraq’s Al Mahibes to Heritage List

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities has announced that the traditional Iraqi game Al-Mahibes has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision was made during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in New Delhi.

According to Shaymaa Mahmoud, the Ministry’s representative and Director of the Centre for the Safeguarding and Protection of Cultural Heritage, the listing pays tribute to the communities that have preserved and passed down this practice for generations.

Mahmoud noted that the Ministry under the guidance of Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Antiquities, Prof. Dr Ahmed Fakak Al-Badrani pursued the nomination in recognition of Al-Mahibes as more than a recreational pastime. She described it as a deeply rooted social tradition embedded in the Iraqi collective conscience, fostering connection, affection, and social cohesion, particularly during Ramadan.

She added that the game has remained a vivid part of community life and a symbol of unity and resilience, especially during times of hardship. Its enduring presence has made Al-Mahibes one of the most recognisable social traditions associated with Baghdad and Iraqi Ramadan evenings.