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 : 92 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 61 countries
2024520231202132020120192201872017920166201572014112013520122201122010220099200820

2024

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Wosana ritual and associated practicesBotswana

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Cultural practices and expressions linked to Balafon and Kolintang in Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire and IndonesiaMali – Burkina Faso – Côte d'Ivoire – Indonesia
Living pictures of Galeras, SucreColombia
Mongol nomad migration and its associated practicesMongolia
Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, NavruzAfghanistan – Azerbaijan – India – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Iraq – Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan – Pakistan – Tajikistan – Türkiye – Turkmenistan – Mongolia

2023

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Art of Akhal-Teke horse breeding and traditions of horses' decorationTurkmenistan

2021

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Falconry, a living human heritageUnited Arab Emirates – Austria – Belgium – Croatia – Czechia – France – Germany – Hungary – Ireland – Italy – Kazakhstan – Republic of Korea – Kyrgyzstan – Mongolia – Morocco – Netherlands (Kingdom of the) – Pakistan – Poland – Portugal – Qatar – Saudi Arabia – Slovakia – Spain – Syrian Arab Republic
Inuit drum dancing and singingDenmark

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Nomad games, rediscovering heritage, celebrating diversityKyrgyzstan

2020

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Practices and traditional knowledge of Terere in the culture of Pohã Ñana, Guaraní ancestral drink in ParaguayParaguay

2019

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Ak-kalpak craftsmanship, traditional knowledge and skills in making and wearing Kyrgyz men’s headwearKyrgyzstan
Traditional technique of making Airag in Khokhuur and its associated customsMongolia

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

Chakan, embroidery art in the Republic of TajikistanTajikistan
Heritage of Dede Qorqud/Korkyt Ata/Dede Korkut, epic culture, folk tales and musicAzerbaijan – Kazakhstan – Türkiye
Mooba dance of the Lenje ethnic group of Central Province of ZambiaZambia
Mwinoghe, joyous danceMalawi
Pottery skills of the women of SejnaneTunisia
Traditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breedersKazakhstan

2017

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Colombian-Venezuelan llano work songsColombia – Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Dikopelo folk music of Bakgatla ba Kgafela in Kgatleng DistrictBotswana
Mongolian traditional practices of worshipping the sacred sitesMongolia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Chogān, a horse-riding game accompanied by music and storytellingIran (Islamic Republic of)
Kazakh traditional Assyk gamesKazakhstan
Kok boru, traditional horse gameKyrgyzstan
Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancingTurkmenistan
Nsima, culinary tradition of MalawiMalawi
Zaouli, popular music and dance of the Guro communities in Côte d’IvoireCôte d'Ivoire

2016

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Cossack’s songs of Dnipropetrovsk RegionUkraine
Ma'di bowl lyre music and danceUganda

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Gada system, an indigenous democratic socio-political system of the OromoEthiopia
Kuresi in KazakhstanKazakhstan
Oshi Palav, a traditional meal and its social and cultural contexts in TajikistanTajikistan
Palov culture and traditionUzbekistan

2015

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Coaxing ritual for camelsMongolia
Koogere oral tradition of the Basongora, Banyabindi and Batooro peoplesUganda

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
Traditional knowledge and technologies relating to the growing and processing of the curaguaVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

2014

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Isukuti dance of Isukha and Idakho communities of Western KenyaKenya
Male-child cleansing ceremony of the Lango of central northern UgandaUganda

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Askiya, the art of witUzbekistan
Cante Alentejano, polyphonic singing from Alentejo, southern PortugalPortugal
Coming forth of the masks and puppets in MarkalaMali
Kazakh traditional art of Dombra KuyKazakhstan
Mongolian knuckle-bone shootingMongolia
Practices and expressions of joking relationships in NigerNiger
Ritual dance of the royal drumBurundi
Tchopa, sacrificial dance of the Lhomwe people of southern MalawiMalawi
Traditional knowledge and skills in making Kyrgyz and Kazakh yurts (Turkic nomadic dwellings)Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan

2013

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Chovqan, a traditional Karabakh horse-riding game in the Republic of AzerbaijanAzerbaijan
Mongolian calligraphyMongolia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Petrykivka decorative painting as a phenomenon of the Ukrainian ornamental folk artUkraine
Traditional craftsmanship of the Mongol Ger and its associated customsMongolia
Xooy, a divination ceremony among the Serer of Senegal Senegal

2012

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Earthenware pottery-making skills in Botswana’s Kgatleng DistrictBotswana

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Craftsmanship and performance art of the Tar, a long-necked string musical instrumentAzerbaijan

2011

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Folk long song performance technique of Limbe performances - circular breathingMongolia
Secret society of the Kôrêdugaw, the rite of wisdom in MaliMali

2010

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Mongolian traditional art of KhöömeiMongolia
Naadam, Mongolian traditional festivalMongolia

2009

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Mongol Biyelgee, Mongolian traditional folk danceMongolia
Mongol Tuuli, Mongolian epicMongolia
Traditional music of the TsuurMongolia
Traditions and practices associated with the Kayas in the sacred forests of the MijikendaKenya

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Gesar epic traditionChina
ManasChina
Manden Charter, proclaimed in Kurukan FugaMali
Mongolian art of singing, KhoomeiChina
Septennial re-roofing ceremony of the Kamablon, sacred house of KangabaMali

2008

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Art of Akyns, Kyrgyz epic tellersKyrgyzstan
Barkcloth making in UgandaUganda
Canto a tenore, Sardinian pastoral songsItaly
Chopi TimbilaMozambique
Cultural space and oral culture of the SemeiskieRussian Federation
Cultural space of Sosso-BalaGuinea
Cultural space of the Yaaral and DegalMali
Fujara and its musicSlovakia
Gbofe of Afounkaha, the music of the transverse trumps of the Tagbana communityCôte d'Ivoire
Gule WamkuluMalawi – Mozambique – Zambia
Ifa divination systemNigeria
Makishi masqueradeZambia
Mbende Jerusarema danceZimbabwe
Olonkho, Yakut heroic eposRussian Federation
Oral heritage of GeledeBenin – Nigeria – Togo
Shashmaqom musicUzbekistan – Tajikistan
Traditional music of the Morin KhuurMongolia
Urtiin Duu, traditional folk long songChina – Mongolia
Uyghur Muqam of XinjiangChina
Vimbuza healing danceMalawi
Top