Dubai, UAE—‘Al Talli’, a traditional form of embroidery practiced almost exclusively by UAE women, has been included in the UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Al Talli features decoration of collars, hems and cuffs of clothes using cotton or silk threads, intertwined with gold and silver threads. It is distinguished by intricate designs and vibrant colours inspired by the local environment. The most well-known ‘Al Talli’ designs include ‘Sayer Yaay’ (coming and going’), ‘Bu Khostain’ – or ‘Bu Futlatayn’ – (double strand) and ‘Bu Khosa’ or ‘Bu Futla’ (single strand). More than 4,000 women practise the craft across the UAE
Addition of the ‘Al Talli’ craft to the UNESCO list was announced during a meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Rabat, Morocco from 28 Nov to 2 Dec.
Dubai Culture, in cooperation with the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth, had submitted the application for ‘Al Talli’s’ inclusion in UNESCO list.
Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and member of the Dubai Council, said the inclusion of ‘Al Talli’ “reflects the UAE’s leadership in promoting intangible cultural heritage as well as Dubai Culture’s efforts to preserve the country’s traditional crafts”.
“The success in adding ‘Al Talli’ to the UNESCO list reflects the efforts of the UAE’s cultural institutions to preserve the country’s distinctive heritage. Dubai Culture has introduced several initiatives to preserve Emirati heritage, promote the country’s values, and create an environment conducive for ensuring the sustainability of heritage industries.”
Through the Turath Centre for Traditional Handicrafts, the educational arm of the Al Shindagha Museum, Dubai’s largest heritage museum, Dubai Culture continues to preserve and protect ‘Al Talli’ by transferring the knowledge of the craft to future generations and raising awareness about its importance and history, as part of the Authority’s commitment to supporting traditional skills and knowledge.