Narrating the tradition of Nasreddin Hodja, the culture of çay (tea), a symbol of identity, hospitality and social interaction, is among this year's contenders for recognition as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, which started deliberations on Monday in Morocco.

The United Nation's cultural agency is examining 56 proposals for items to add to its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage, including four in urgent need of preservation – including the craft of traditional Ahlat stonework from Türkiye.

This year's meetings in Morocco, which holds the organization's rotating presidency, are the first to be held in person since the pandemic.

UNESCO will tweet its decisions starting from Tuesday afternoon.

Other contenders include a French-Belgian application for fairgrounds, a traditional Chinese tea-processing technique and a central Asian lute called the Rubab.

The organization stresses that the list honors traditions, practices and knowledge and all such forms of culture that are "human treasures" that cannot be touched.

Rai music is on the list not just as a form of music but as a cultural tradition as a whole.

The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage aims to safeguard and raise awareness about the "intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned."

"Intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity," it says.