TEHRAN - The head of the Research Institute of Anthropology at Iran’s Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism has underscored the critical role of protecting cultural heritage bearers, particularly the elderly, in ensuring the continuity of historical memory and intergenerational knowledge transfer.

Farideh Majidi Khameneh highlighted the fundamental importance of intangible cultural heritage in shaping the identity of societies. She noted that in recent years, the global community has increasingly adopted a forward-looking approach by paying special attention to what are often referred to as “living human treasures.”

She pointed to the adoption of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage as a clear indication of the vital role intangible heritage plays in preserving cultural identity and ensuring its transmission across generations.

Majidi Khameneh stressed that cultural heritage bearers, many of whom are elderly, serve as “living human treasures” whose knowledge and experience sustain the vitality of intangible heritage. In times of crisis and social transformation, she said, these individuals require increased protection and support, as the survival of intangible cultural practices depends on their continued presence and ability to pass on their knowledge.

Emphasizing the equal importance of tangible and intangible heritage, she noted that while the preservation of historical buildings, cultural sites, and museums is widely prioritized, similar attention must be directed toward safeguarding individuals who carry cultural knowledge. “These individuals are custodians of collective memory, experience, and identity,” she said.

The anthropology researcher also outlined several practical measures to strengthen the protection of intangible heritage. These include identifying and officially registering heritage bearers in both urban and rural areas during their lifetimes, facilitating the transfer of their knowledge to younger generations, encouraging public participation in supporting them, and ensuring timely and accurate documentation of their expertise.

She concluded by stressing that accelerating efforts to record and transmit such valuable knowledge would help preserve national cultural assets and contribute to the dynamic continuity of a society’s historical and cultural identity for future generations.

AM