The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed Armenian duduk music a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity in 2005, while the Armenian duduk and its music element was inscribed on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.
The duduk is one of the characteristics of the Armenian folk musical culture, it is widely used and viable not only in the performing arts, but also in the society, particularly in families, communities, cultural and educational organizations.
The Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport reports that in recent years many programs, including local, international festivals and flash mobs, have been implemented for the preservation, transmission and popularization of the duduk. One of the best evidences of this is the "Come, Dance Kochari" flash mob taking place in the French city of Grenoble, which is dedicated to the duduk Armenian instrument this year. The event is aimed at identifying talented duduk players and raise awareness about the Armenian instrument globally.
Azerbaijan and Turkey, two states parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, have submitted a joint application for inclusion of the balaban in the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021. Azerbaijan submitted the application for the inscription of the musical instrument called balaban on the UNESCO list back in 2012, but the process was suspended and the application became pending. It will be subjected to a discussion by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage only in 2021, if the application is approved by the independent experts of the Evaluation Body.
The Armenian ministry states that according to the convention, the inscriptions on the lists do not imply exclusive ownership. While inscribing an element on the lists, the cultural expressions, features and viability of the element by communities, groups and individuals in the given country (or in the counters in case of multinational nominations) are recognized.
Armenia ratified UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2006 and, until now the organization has included six Armenian elements in its intangible cultural heritage list – the traditional Armenian bread “lavash”, Armenian duduk, khachkar (Armenian cross stones), Armenian national epic "David of Sassoun", traditional Armenian group dance “Kochari” and Armenian letter art and its cultural expressions.