In a significant move to preserve and promote Goa’s unique cul tural heritage, the Direc torate of Art and Culture has officially constituted and approved a Task Force Committee to initiate and oversee the process of se curing UNESCO recogni tion for tiatr as an intangi ble cultural heritage. The order by Vivek Kr ishna Naik, Director of Art and Culture, states that the committee has been formed with immediate effect. The committee will be chaired by the Min ister for Art and Culture Ramesh Tawadkar, with the Director of Art and Culture and several prom inent figures from Goa’s Tiatr fraternity and aca demic field as members. The panel includes the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) president Antho ny Barbosa, vice-presi dent Marcos Gonsalves, member secretary Carlos Fernandes, tiatrists such as Tomazinho Cardozo, Wilson Mazarello, Anto nio Rosario Fernandes (Roseferns), Fausto V Da Costa, Prof Prakash Vazri kar, Frederick Noronha, Fr Luis Gomes, William Fer nandes, Fr Doel Dias, Fr Milton Rodrigues, Agnelo Fernandes (Borim), Vikas Kandolkar and Michael Gracias. The government’s re newed efforts come after consistent appeals from the tiatr fraternity to rec ognise the art form’s his torical and cultural signif icance. Earlier this year, the Tiatr Academy of Goa had submitted a detailed proposal to the state gov ernment highlighting the art form’s over 133-year old legacy, its role in shap ing Goan identity, and its distinct blend of music, satire, and social com mentary. TAG had earlier stressed that UNESCO recogni tion would not only safe guard tiatr’s future but also bring international visibility to Goa’s cultural landscape. “Tiatr reflects the soul of the Goan peo ple. It deserves to be ac knowledged globally as an art form that combines entertainment with social consciousness,” Anthony Barbosa, President, TAG had said. The newly formed com mittee is expected to co ordinate with cultural experts, historians, and UNESCO representatives to prepare a comprehen sive nomination dossier. Once completed, the pro posal will be forwarded through the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, to UNESCO for eval uation. With this initiative, Goa takes a decisive step to wards ensuring that Tiatr — the heartbeat of Goan stage art — receives the international recognition it richly deserves.
Goa Forms Task Force to Secure UNESCO Recognition for Tiatr
