Mauritius - The traditional Festivity of Las Parrandas, held in Central Cuba every year, has been added to UNESCO´s Representative List of Intangible Heritage.

Las Parrandas were included on the list of global cultural treasures by UNESCO´s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, that is meeting in Mauritius until 1 December.

Las Parrandas were held for the first time in 1820 in the town of Remedios. It is a cultural competition now celebrated by 18 communities in central Cuba, in localities of Villa Clara, Sancti Spiritus and Ciego de Avila provinces.

During the competition, each town is divided into two competing parties or neighborhoods, with ‘spies’ attempting to spoil the opposing neighborhood’s surprise on the night of the festivity. The festivities combine tradition and modernity and involve a wide range of expressions, including crafts, designs, costumes, music, pyrotechnics and woodwork.

Other inscriptions newly announced on the list include Reggae music of Jamaica, Chidaoba wrestling in Georgia, and the art of dry stone walling practiced in several European countries, among  others.