The Committee
- Takes note that Iceland has nominated Swimming pool culture in Iceland (No. 02249) for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
Swimming pool culture refers to the widespread use of heated outdoor pools. Despite cold climates, these spaces remain popular, welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. People visit the pools for various reasons, such as to exercise, relax or socialize. The public swimming pools are run by the community, for the community — a dynamic that has created unique social arenas. For instance, hot tubs have become informal debating parlours. Swimming pool culture is passed down through the generations, with parents bringing infants to the pool. As children grow, they continue to visit the pools, attending swimming lessons, participating in school activities, and spending time there with friends or family.
- Considers that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
R.1: People of all genders, ethnicities and abilities are included in swimming pool culture in Iceland. Children learn the pool rules and customs through formal lessons and informal interactions with peers, family and staff. Youth organizations and sports clubs, as well as older pool guests, also play an important role in transmitting the tradition to younger generations. Swimming pool culture is an integral part of daily life for the practising communities. It promotes physical, mental and social well-being while offering a space for connection. It also fosters inclusion, mutual respect and cohesion among people from all walks of life.
R.2: The submitting State Party consistently demonstrates that the element contributes to various aspects of sustainable development, with a particular emphasis on promoting health care, through the opportunity to exercise, either individually or by participating in programmes for the elderly, pregnant women, or people with chronic illnesses. It also contributes to peace and social cohesion, through the establishment of a venue for dialogue and the peaceful exchange of opinions and ideas without cultural and social differences, increasing body positivity and facilitating mutual respect between people.
R.4: The submitting State Party has demonstrated the active participation of the communities, groups and individuals concerned in all stages of the preparation of the nomination, starting in 2013 when the National Museum of Iceland facilitated a questionnaire on swimming pool culture and its value, in collaboration with the University of Iceland. The State Party organized sixteen meetings across the country and held two symposia to discuss swimming pool culture, which were open to a wide audience and included live streaming to enhance accessibility. Prior and timely consent was obtained, and the evidence provided for consent is sufficiently diverse.
R.5: The element was registered in the Lifandi hefðir inventory in 2023. This inventory is maintained by the National Museum of Iceland, and is regularly updated as part of the national inventorying system.
- Further considers that, from the information included in the file and the information provided by the submitting State Party through the dialogue process, the nomination satisfies the following criterion for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
R.3: The information provided demonstrates that Criterion R.3 is met in terms of both past and current efforts and future safeguarding measures. These measures include the existing legal framework that requires that swimming lessons be held for young people aged six to sixteen years, research and publication about the practice, and subsidized swimming fees, encouraging more practitioners to swim. Other measures include the establishment of swimming pool associations and clubs that promote the safeguarding of the tradition and the organization of competitions and campaigns that benefit from swimming culture.
- Decides to inscribe Swimming pool culture in Iceland on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;
- Commends the State Party for the excellent video, which shows details about the sociability surrounding the pool, revealing that it is more than just an object and presenting it as a symbolic space for the production of social relations and cultural practices.