According to Iran’s official publications, the “traditional knowledge of Persian shipbuilding and navigation in the Persian Gulf,” which was included on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2011, will be removed and destroyed with the approval of the cabinet of ministers of the Iran’s Islamic government.
The order was approved under a directive related to the “replacement of traditional vessels with a capacity of less than 50 tons and with the aim of removing smuggling tools from the sea, transferring non-formal sailing and fishing to official and commercial activities”, and according to the government, “boosting shipbuilding activities and maritime safety.”
The construction and building of dinghies or small boats have been practiced by Persian sailors and fishermen for centuries, supporting their livelihood and their families. Under this new directive from the Iranian government the title “Knowledge of dinghy construction of Iranian sailors in the Persian Gulf” will instead be removed from the UNESCO World Heritage List and in practice this knowledge which has
been transferred from generation to generation will be forgotten. Therefore, it is foreseeable that another ancient Iranian skill and practice that is a relic of fishermen and sailors of our land will be forgotten due to the ignorance and profiteering of the Islamic government. It is also quite possible that in a few years the skill and historical knowledge of building dinghies will be presented to the UNESCO by another Persian Gulf country as their own World Heritage skill.
Interestingly, and contrary to this recent order, the officials and the cabinet of the Iranian Islamic government recently sent reports to the UNESCO on the government’s actions to preserve intangible Iranian world heritage. Not surprising from a government which has continuously given false and misleading reports to the UNESCO.
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