UNESCO and the Ancient Persian Game of Chogan

UNESCO has added chogan, the Persian traditional team sport played on horseback, to its intangible cultural heritage list, the culmination of three years of effort by the Iranian sports ministry and Iran’s Cultural Heritage Organization.

The UN World Heritage Committee approved the addition of chogan — more commonly known as polo — to the list on December 7 during the 12th session of the UN World Heritage Committee meeting on the island of Jeju in South Korean. Thirty-three cultural practices or “elements” were added during the meeting. 

The UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity recognizes cultural practices’ contribution to a country or culture’s identity and raises awareness about its importance. 

Iranian sport and heritage officials, including Hossein Jafari from Isfahan’s chogan office, welcomed the decision, and acknowledged the sport's roots in “ancient Iranian traditions.” The team sport of chogan was founded thousands of years in Persia, and is traditionally accompanied by storytelling and song. 

The art of the Neapolitan “pizzaiuolo”, or pizza maker, was also added to the list this year, as was India’s kumbh mela festival. The craft and playing of the kamancheh, a bowed string instrument, was also recognized as being unique to Iran and Azerbajian. 

Iran submitted a proposal for the inclusion of chogan in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage to UNESCO on 30 March 2016.

In November, an Iranian diplomat lost his bid to chair UNESCO’s executive board, despite being the favorite for the job.