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.







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Results : 57 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 48 countries
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2023

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Ingoma Ya MapikoMozambique

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Hiragasy, a performing art of the Central Highlands of MadagascarMadagascar
Mahadra, a community system for transmission of traditional knowledge and oral expressionsMauritania

2022

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Mansaf in Jordan, a festive banquet and its social and cultural meaningsJordan
Holy Week in GuatemalaGuatemala
Kalela danceZambia
Kun Lbokator, traditional martial arts in CambodiaCambodia
Pehlevanliq culture: traditional zorkhana games, sports and wrestlingAzerbaijan
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
Yaldā/ChellaIran (Islamic Republic of) – Afghanistan

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

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

2021

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Dances and expressions associated with the Corpus Christi FestivityPanama

2020

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Aboxan Musik ǀŌb ǂÂns tsî ǁKhasigu, ancestral musical sound knowledge and skillsNamibia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Ong Chun/Wangchuan/Wangkang ceremony, rituals and related practices for maintaining the sustainable connection between man and the oceanChina – Malaysia
PantunIndonesia – Malaysia
Traditional intelligence and strategy game: Togyzqumalaq, Toguz Korgool, Mangala/GöçürmeKazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – Türkiye

2019

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Kwagh-Hir theatrical performanceNigeria
SilatMalaysia
Traditions of Pencak SilatIndonesia

2018

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Enkipaata, Eunoto and Olng'esherr, three male rites of passage of the Maasai communityKenya

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Chidaoba, wrestling in GeorgiaGeorgia
Heritage of Dede Qorqud/Korkyt Ata/Dede Korkut, epic culture, folk tales and musicAzerbaijan – Kazakhstan – Türkiye
Raiho-shin, ritual visits of deities in masks and costumesJapan
Rūkada Nātya, traditional string puppet drama in Sri LankaSri Lanka

2016

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Almezmar, drumming and dancing with sticksSaudi Arabia
Idea and practice of organizing shared interests in cooperativesGermany
Puppetry in Slovakia and CzechiaSlovakia – Czechia
Tahteeb, stick gameEgypt

2015

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Epic art of GoroglyTurkmenistan

2014

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Isukuti dance of Isukha and Idakho communities of Western KenyaKenya

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Coming forth of the masks and puppets in MarkalaMali
Lavash, the preparation, meaning and appearance of traditional bread as an expression of culture in ArmeniaArmenia

2013

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Kyrgyz epic trilogy: Manas, Semetey, SeytekKyrgyzstan

2011

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Saman danceIndonesia

2010

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

MeshrepChina

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Bar’ah, music and dance of Oman Dhofari valleysOman
Huaconada, ritual dance of MitoPeru
Kırkpınar oil wrestling festivalTürkiye
Kumiodori, traditional Okinawan musical theatreJapan
Naadam, Mongolian traditional festivalMongolia
Ritual dramatic art of Ta‘zīyeIran (Islamic Republic of)
Wayuu normative system, applied by the Pütchipü’üi (palabrero)Colombia

2009

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

CheoyongmuRepublic of Korea
Gesar epic traditionChina
Grand song of the Dong ethnic groupChina
Irrigators’ tribunals of the Spanish Mediterranean coast: the Council of Wise Men of the plain of Murcia and the Water Tribunal of the plain of ValenciaSpain
Tibetan operaChina

2008

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Ahellil of GouraraAlgeria
Arts of the Meddah, public storytellersTürkiye
Cultural space of the Bedu in Petra and Wadi RumJordan
Gule WamkuluMalawi – Mozambique – Zambia
Kabuki theatreJapan
Lakalaka, dances and sung speeches of TongaTonga
Ningyo Johruri Bunraku puppet theatreJapan
Palestinian HikayeState of Palestine
Wayang puppet theatreIndonesia
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