UNESCO has launched an initiative to help safeguard oral cultural traditions such as storytelling - and has chosen a name for it which is almost a story in itself.

The title, "Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity", is to be ascribed to places, performances and orally transmitted works which are deemed to be of exceptional value and will form part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. The project was started after Jeema' el Fna Square in Marrakesh, Morocco, was threatened with destruction by city developers. The square is famous for its storytellers, musicians, poets and performers. Protests by local residents to preserve the square drew UNESCO's attention to the importance of preserving such traditions.