The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has inscribed Rwanda’s Intore on its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Intore is a dance performed by a troupe in Rwanda. The dancers are arranged in lines representing the ranks of warriors on a battlefield. Through their movements, they mimic a battle with an invisible adversary, leaping and wielding their spears and shields to the rhythm of the traditional drums and horns.
They are supported by songs and poems of triumph. An expression of power, the dance is at the centre of community events and festivities, including harvest festivals and the reception of distinguished guests.
An opening ceremony was on Sunday, 1 December 2024. The session is chaired by H.E. Ms Nancy Ovelar de Gorostiaga, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Paraguay to UNESCO.
