Browse the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Register of good safeguarding practices

The Committee meets annually to evaluate nominations proposed by States Parties to the 2003 Convention and decide whether or not to inscribe those cultural practices and expressions of intangible heritage on the Convention’s Lists.

By clicking on the inscribed elements listed below, you can discover the nominations, photos and videos, together with Committee decisions and evidence of community consent.

You may also experience a conceptual, visual and interactive navigation through ‘Dive into Intangible Cultural Heritage’ interfaces which demonstrate the thematic interconnectedness between all the elements inscribed and their relation to nature or to threats.


The nomination files submitted by the States Parties are published by the Secretariat of the 2003 Convention on its website in compliance with paragraph 54 of the Operational Directives regarding the nomination procedure; moreover, the information included in the nominations is reflected in working documents of the Committee in order to ensure transparency and access to information.


The sole responsibility for the content of each nomination file lies with the submitting States Parties concerned. The designations employed in the texts and documents presented by the submitting States Parties do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Committee nor UNESCO concerning a) the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, b) the legal status of its authorities, c) the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or d) references to specific historical events.







More criteria

Results : 224 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 105 countries
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2023

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Ancestral and traditional techniques for the elaboration of the 'Poncho Para'i de 60 Listas', from the city of Piribebuy, Republic of ParaguayParaguay

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Ch'utillos, the Festival of San Bartolomé and San Ignacio de Loyola, the meeting of cultures in PotosíBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Craftsmanship and performing art of balaban/meyAzerbaijan – Türkiye
Garba of GujaratIndia
JunkanooBahamas
Maltese Village Festa, an annual community celebrationMalta
Polonaise, traditional Polish dancePoland
Procession and celebrations of Prophet Mohammed's birthday in SudanSudan
Rickshaws and rickshaw painting in DhakaBangladesh
Sango Festival, OyoNigeria
Shuwalid festivalEthiopia
Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festivalThailand
Traditional knowledge and skills of production of the atlas and adras fabricsTajikistan
Transhumance, the seasonal droving of livestockAlbania – Andorra – Austria – Croatia – France – Greece – Italy – Luxembourg – Romania – Spain

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

ICH safeguarding practices program for the cultural and ecologic Sea Turtle Festival of ArmilaPanama

2022

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Culture of Ukrainian borscht cookingUkraine
Xhubleta, skills, craftsmanship and forms of usageAlbania

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Khanjar, craft skills and social practicesOman
Alheda'a, oral traditions of calling camel flocksSaudi Arabia – Oman – United Arab Emirates
August 15th (Dekapentavgoustos) festivities in two Highland Communities of Northern Greece: Tranos Choros (Grand Dance) in Vlasti and Syrrako FestivalGreece
Date palm, knowledge, skills, traditions and practicesUnited Arab Emirates – Bahrain – Egypt – Iraq – Jordan – Kuwait – Mauritania – Morocco – Oman – State of Palestine – Qatar – Saudi Arabia – Sudan – Tunisia – Yemen
Festivals related to the Journey of the Holy family in EgyptEgypt
Furyu-odori, ritual dances imbued with people’s hopes and prayersJapan
Harissa, knowledge, skills and culinary and social practicesTunisia
Manual bell ringingSpain
Orteke, traditional performing art in Kazakhstan: dance, puppet and musicKazakhstan
Straw weaving in Belarus, art, craft and skillsBelarus
Talchum, mask dance drama in the Republic of KoreaRepublic of Korea
Telling tradition of Nasreddin Hodja/ Molla Nesreddin/ Molla Ependi/ Apendi/ Afendi Kozhanasyr AnecdotesAzerbaijan – Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – Tajikistan – Türkiye – Turkmenistan – Uzbekistan
Timber raftingAustria – Czechia – Germany – Latvia – Poland – Spain

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Tocatì, a shared programme for the safeguarding of traditional games and sportsItaly – Belgium – Croatia – Cyprus – France

2021

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Tais, traditional textileTimor-Leste

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Art of Xòe dance of the Tai people in Viet NamViet Nam
Bakhshi artUzbekistan
Community festivities in Campo MaiorPortugal
Corso culture, flower and fruit parades in the NetherlandsNetherlands (Kingdom of the)
Dances and expressions associated with the Corpus Christi FestivityPanama
Durga Puja in KolkataIndia
Dutar making craftsmanship and traditional music performing art combined with singingTurkmenistan
FalakTajikistan
Festive cycle around the devotion and worship towards Saint John the Baptist Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
FjiriBahrain
Flower carpets tradition for Corpus Christi processionsPoland
Grand Festival of TarijaBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Kaustinen fiddle playing and related practices and expressions Finland
L-Għana, a Maltese folksong traditionMalta
Namur stilt joustingBelgium
TbouridaMorocco

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Nomad games, rediscovering heritage, celebrating diversityKyrgyzstan
The School of Living Traditions (SLT)Philippines

2020

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Camel racing, a social practice and a festive heritage associated with camelsUnited Arab Emirates – Oman
Grass mowing competition custom in KupresBosnia and Herzegovina
Il-Ftira, culinary art and culture of flattened sourdough bread in MaltaMalta
Knowledge, know-how and practices pertaining to the production and consumption of couscousAlgeria – Mauritania – Morocco – Tunisia
Musical art of horn players, an instrumental technique linked to singing, breath control, vibrato, resonance of place and convivialityFrance – Belgium – Luxembourg – Italy
Nar Bayrami, traditional pomegranate festivity and cultureAzerbaijan
Sauna culture in FinlandFinland
Tree beekeeping culturePoland – Belarus
Wine HorsesSpain
Yeondeunghoe, lantern lighting festival in the Republic of KoreaRepublic of Korea

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Craft techniques and customary practices of cathedral workshops, or Bauhütten, in Europe, know-how, transmission, development of knowledge and innovationGermany – Austria – France – Norway – Switzerland
Polyphonic Caravan, researching, safeguarding and promoting the Epirus polyphonic songGreece

2019

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

‘Hatajo de Negritos’ and ‘Hatajo de Pallitas’ from the Peruvian south-central coastlinePeru
Ethiopian epiphanyEthiopia
GnawaMorocco
Irish harpingIreland
Practices and craftsmanship associated with the Damascene rose in Al-MrahSyrian Arab Republic

2018

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Shadow playSyrian Arab Republic
Suri Jagek (observing the sun), traditional meteorological and astronomical practice based on the observation of the sun, moon and stars in reference to the local topographyPakistan
Yalli (Kochari, Tenzere), traditional group dances of NakhchivanAzerbaijan

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Celebration in honor of the Budslaŭ icon of Our Lady (Budslaŭ fest)Belarus
Dondang SayangMalaysia
Festivity of Las Parrandas in the centre of CubaCuba
Mwinoghe, joyous danceMalawi
Ritual and festive expressions of the Congo culturePanama
Tamboradas drum-playing ritualsSpain
Traditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breedersKazakhstan

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Land-of-Legends programme, for promoting and revitalizing the art of storytelling in Kronoberg RegionSweden

2017

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Al Azi, art of performing praise, pride and fortitude poetryUnited Arab Emirates
Dikopelo folk music of Bakgatla ba Kgafela in Kgatleng DistrictBotswana
Whistled languageTürkiye

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Basel CarnivalSwitzerland
Kolo, traditional folk danceSerbia
Kumbh MelaIndia
Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancingTurkmenistan
Multipart singing of HorehronieSlovakia
Ritual journeys in La Paz during AlasitaBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Traditional system of Corongo’s water judgesPeru
Zaouli, popular music and dance of the Guro communities in Côte d’IvoireCôte d'Ivoire

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Bulgarian Chitalishte (Community Cultural Centre): practical experience in safeguarding the vitality of the Intangible Cultural HeritageBulgaria
Margilan Crafts Development Centre, safeguarding of the atlas and adras making traditional technologiesUzbekistan

2016

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Chapei Dang VengCambodia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Argungu international fishing and cultural festivalNigeria
Carnival of El Callao, a festive representation of a memory and cultural identityVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Khidr Elias feast and its vowsIraq
Mangal Shobhajatra on Pahela BaishakhBangladesh
Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, NavruzAfghanistan – Azerbaijan – India – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Iraq – Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan – Pakistan – Tajikistan – Turkmenistan – Türkiye
Puppetry in Slovakia and CzechiaSlovakia – Czechia
Rumba in Cuba, a festive combination of music and dances and all the practices associatedCuba
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge in China of time and practices developed through observation of the sun’s annual motionChina
Valencia Fallas festivitySpain
Winegrowers’ Festival in VeveySwitzerland
Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in JapanJapan

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Community project of safeguarding the living culture of Rovinj/Rovigno: the Batana EcomuseumCroatia
Festival of folklore in Koprivshtitsa: a system of practices for heritage presentation and transmissionBulgaria

2015

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Traditional Vallenato music of the Greater Magdalena regionColombia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Aitysh/Aitys, art of improvisationKazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan
Epic art of GoroglyTurkmenistan
Fichee-Chambalaalla, New Year festival of the Sidama peopleEthiopia
Oshituthi shomagongo, marula fruit festivalNamibia
Summer solstice fire festivals in the PyreneesAndorra – Spain – France
Surova folk feast in Pernik regionBulgaria
Three genres of traditional dance in BaliIndonesia

2014

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Ayyala, a traditional performing art of the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab EmiratesOman – United Arab Emirates
Arirang folk song in the Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaDemocratic People’s Republic of Korea
Askiya, the art of witUzbekistan
Festivity of Virgen de la Candelaria of PunoPeru
Kazakh traditional art of Dombra KuyKazakhstan
Kopachkata, a social dance from the village of Dramche, PijanecNorth Macedonia
Nongak, community band music, dance and rituals in the Republic of KoreaRepublic of Korea
Pujllay and Ayarichi, music and dances of the Yampara cultureBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Traditional agricultural practice of cultivating the ‘vite ad alberello’ (head-trained bush vines) of the community of PantelleriaItaly
Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paperJapan

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Safeguarding the carillon culture: preservation, transmission, exchange and awareness-raisingBelgium

2013

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Art of Đờn ca tài tử music and song in southern Viet NamViet Nam
Círio de Nazaré (The Taper of Our Lady of Nazareth) in the city of Belém, ParáBrazil
Commemoration feast of the finding of the True Holy Cross of ChristEthiopia
La Parranda de San Pedro de Guarenas y GuatireVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Mediterranean dietCyprus – Croatia – Spain – Greece – Italy – Morocco – Portugal
Music of TerchováSlovakia
Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of ManipurIndia
Shrimp fishing on horseback in OostduinkerkeBelgium

2012

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Noken multifunctional knotted or woven bag, handcraft of the people of PapuaIndonesia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Arirang, lyrical folk song in the Republic of KoreaRepublic of Korea
Cherry festival in SefrouMorocco
Cultural practices and expressions linked to the balafon of the Senufo communities of Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d'IvoireMali – Burkina Faso – Côte d'Ivoire
Fest-Noz, festive gathering based on the collective practice of traditional dances of BrittanyFrance
Festival of Saint Francis of Assisi, QuibdóColombia
Fiesta of the patios in CordovaSpain
Ichapekene Piesta, the biggest festival of San Ignacio de Moxos Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
Klapa multipart singing of Dalmatia, southern CroatiaCroatia
Mesir Macunu festivalTürkiye
Nachi no Dengaku, a religious performing art held at the Nachi fire festivalJapan
Performance of the Armenian epic of 'Daredevils of Sassoun' or 'David of Sassoun'Armenia
Schemenlaufen, the carnival of Imst, AustriaAustria
Venezuela's Dancing Devils of Corpus ChristiVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

2011

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Chinese shadow puppetryChina
Festivity of ‘la Mare de Déu de la Salut’ of AlgemesíSpain
Jultagi, tightrope walkingRepublic of Korea
Mibu no Hana Taue, ritual of transplanting rice in Mibu, HiroshimaJapan
Ride of the Kings in the south-east of the Czech RepublicCzechia
Tsiattista poetic duellingCyprus

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Programme of cultivating ludodiversity: safeguarding traditional games in FlandersBelgium
Táncház method: a Hungarian model for the transmission of intangible cultural heritageHungary

2010

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Chhau danceIndia
FlamencoSpain
Gióng festival of Phù Ðông and Sóc templesViet Nam
Hopping procession of EchternachLuxembourg
Human towersSpain
Kalbelia folk songs and dances of RajasthanIndia
Kırkpınar oil wrestling festivalTürkiye
Krakelingen and Tonnekensbrand, end-of-winter bread and fire feast at GeraardsbergenBelgium
Music of the Bakhshis of KhorasanIran (Islamic Republic of)
Naadam, Mongolian traditional festivalMongolia
Parachicos in the traditional January feast of Chiapa de CorzoMexico
Shrovetide door-to-door processions and masks in the villages of the Hlinecko areaCzechia
Sinjska Alka, a knights’ tournament in SinjCroatia
Sutartinės, Lithuanian multipart songsLithuania

2009

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Cantu in paghjella, a secular and liturgical oral tradition of CorsicaFrance
Mongol Tuuli, Mongolian epicMongolia
Qiang New Year festivalChina
Sanké mon, collective fishing rite of the SankéMali
Traditional music of the TsuurMongolia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Akiu no Taue OdoriJapan
Candombe and its socio-cultural space: a community practiceUruguay
Chinese paper-cutChina
Dragon Boat festivalChina
Festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of DubrovnikCroatia
GanggangsullaeRepublic of Korea
Gesar epic traditionChina
Hayachine KaguraJapan
Hua’erChina
Jeju Chilmeoridang YeongdeunggutRepublic of Korea
Katta AshulaUzbekistan
ManasChina
Mazu belief and customsChina
Mongolian art of singing, KhoomeiChina
NanyinChina
Nestinarstvo, messages from the past: the Panagyr of Saints Constantine and Helena in the village of BulgariBulgaria
Procession Za Krizen (‘following the cross’) on the island of HvarCroatia
Quan Họ Bắc Ninh folk songsViet Nam
Ramman, religious festival and ritual theatre of the Garhwal Himalayas, IndiaIndia
Tibetan operaChina
Traditional Ainu danceJapan
Xi’an wind and percussion ensembleChina

2008

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Albanian folk iso-polyphonyAlbania
Baltic song and dance celebrationsEstonia – Latvia – Lithuania
Căluş ritualRomania
Carnival of BarranquillaColombia
Carnival of BincheBelgium
Cocolo dance drama traditionDominican Republic
Cultural space of Boysun DistrictUzbekistan
Cultural space of Palenque de San BasilioColombia
Cultural space of Sosso-BalaGuinea
Cultural space of the Yaaral and DegalMali
Duduk and its musicArmenia
El GüegüenseNicaragua
Fujara and its musicSlovakia
Gangneung Danoje festivalRepublic of Korea
Georgian polyphonic singingGeorgia
Indigenous festivity dedicated to the deadMexico
Lakalaka, dances and sung speeches of TongaTonga
Language, dance and music of the GarifunaBelize – Guatemala – Honduras – Nicaragua
Makishi masqueradeZambia
Mask dance of the drums from DrametseBhutan
Mystery play of ElcheSpain
Nha Nhac, Vietnamese court musicViet Nam
Patum of BergaSpain
Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and FranceBelgium – France
Rabinal Achí dance drama traditionGuatemala
Ramlila, the traditional performance of the RamayanaIndia
Royal ballet of CambodiaCambodia
Samba de Roda of the Recôncavo of BahiaBrazil
Slovácko Verbuňk, recruit dancesCzechia
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