UNESCO awards reggae music protected status

Reggae music has just joined UNESCO's list of over 300 protected cultural treasures, CNN reports. The Jamaica-born genre was awarded protected status on Thursday at a UNESCO conference in Mauritius, and joins a Georgian form of wrestling called Chidaoba, and Irish hurling — all of which were inducted on Thursday. The UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage includes practices such as yoga, flamenco, and more.

A UNESCO rep told CNN in a press release that reggae music "functions as a vehicle of social commentary, as a cathartic experience, and means of praising God remain unchanged, and the music continues to provide a voice for all."

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