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 : 275 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 101 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
Traditional Syrian glassblowingSyrian Arab Republic

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Man’ouché, an emblematic culinary practice in LebanonLebanon
Art of illumination: Təzhib/Tazhib/Zarhalkori/Tezhip/NaqqoshlikAzerbaijan – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Tajikistan – Türkiye – Uzbekistan
Arts, skills and practices associated with engraving on metals (gold, silver and copper)Iraq – Algeria – Egypt – Mauritania – Morocco – State of Palestine – Saudi Arabia – Sudan – Tunisia – Yemen
Bolero: identity, emotion and poetry turned into songCuba – Mexico
Ceramic arts in UzbekistanUzbekistan
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
Craftsmanship of mother of pearl inlayAzerbaijan – Türkiye
Dabkeh, traditional dance in PalestineState of Palestine
Elechek, Kyrgyz female headwear: traditional knowledge and ritualsKyrgyzstan
Garba of GujaratIndia
Harees dish: know-how, skills and practicesUnited Arab Emirates – Oman – Saudi Arabia
Hiragasy, a performing art of the Central Highlands of MadagascarMadagascar
Iftar/Eftari/Iftar/Iftor and its socio-cultural traditionsAzerbaijan – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Türkiye – Uzbekistan
Knowledge, craft and skills of handmade glass productionCzechia – Finland – France – Germany – Hungary – Spain
Malhun, a popular poetic and musical artMorocco
Maltese Village Festa, an annual community celebrationMalta
Midwifery: knowledge, skills and practicesColombia – Cyprus – Germany – Kyrgyzstan – Luxembourg – Nigeria – Slovenia – Togo
Nguon, rituals of governance and associated expressions in the Bamoun communityCameroon
Polonaise, traditional Polish dancePoland
Procession and celebrations of Prophet Mohammed's birthday in SudanSudan
Rickshaws and rickshaw painting in DhakaBangladesh
Rotterdam Summer CarnivalNetherlands (Kingdom of the)
Sadeh/Sada celebrationIran (Islamic Republic of) – Tajikistan
Sango Festival, OyoNigeria
Shuwalid festivalEthiopia
Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festivalThailand
The practice of opera singing in ItalyItaly
Tradition of blacksmithing in GyumriArmenia
Traditional knowledge and skills of production of the atlas and adras fabricsTajikistan

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Nyckelharpa network, an innovative dissemination of a music and instrument-building tradition with roots in SwedenSweden
Program for the safeguarding of the Bandos and Parrandas of the Holy Innocents of Caucagua: nuclei of initiation and transmission of wisdoms and community councilsVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Safeguarding foster care heritage in the merciful city of Geel: a community-based care modelBelgium

2022

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Culture of Ukrainian borscht cookingUkraine
Traditional Ahlat stoneworkTürkiye

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al Talli, traditional embroidery skills in the United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
Al-Khanjar, craft skills and social practicesOman
Al-Mansaf in Jordan, a festive banquet and its social and cultural meaningsJordan
Artisanal know-how and culture of baguette breadFrance
Beekeeping in Slovenia, a way of lifeSlovenia
Crafting and playing the OudIran (Islamic Republic of) – Syrian Arab Republic
Culture of Çay (tea), a symbol of identity, hospitality and social interactionAzerbaijan – Türkiye
Festivals related to the Journey of the Holy family in EgyptEgypt
Festivity of Saint Tryphon and the Kolo (chain dance) of Saint Tryphon, traditions of Croats from Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor) who live in the Republic of CroatiaCroatia
Furyu-odori, ritual dances imbued with people’s hopes and prayersJapan
Harissa, knowledge, skills and culinary and social practicesTunisia
Holy Week in GuatemalaGuatemala
Knowledge of the light rum mastersCuba
Manual bell ringingSpain
Orteke, traditional performing art in Kazakhstan: dance, puppet and musicKazakhstan
Pehlevanliq culture: traditional zorkhana games, sports and wrestlingAzerbaijan
Pyongyang Raengmyon customDemocratic People’s Republic of Korea
Raï, popular folk song of AlgeriaAlgeria
Straw weaving in Belarus, art, craft and skillsBelarus
Telling tradition of Nasreddin Hodja/ Molla Nesreddin/ Molla Ependi/ Apendi/ Afendi Kozhanasyr AnecdotesAzerbaijan – Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – Tajikistan – Türkiye – Turkmenistan – Uzbekistan
The art of the traditional blouse with embroidery on the shoulder (altiţă) — an element of cultural identity in Romania and the Republic of MoldovaRomania – Republic of Moldova
The practice of Modern Dance in GermanyGermany
Turkmen-style needlework artTurkmenistan – Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Yaldā/ChellaIran (Islamic Republic of) – Afghanistan

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Strategy for safeguarding traditional crafts: The Bearers of Folk Craft Tradition programmeCzechia
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

Al-Qudoud al-HalabiyaSyrian Arab Republic
Arabic calligraphy: knowledge, skills and practicesSaudi Arabia – Algeria – Bahrain – Egypt – Iraq – Jordan – Kuwait – Lebanon – Mauritania – Morocco – Oman – State of Palestine – Sudan – Tunisia – United Arab Emirates – Yemen
Bakhshi artUzbekistan
Ceebu Jën, a culinary art of SenegalSenegal
Community festivities in Campo MaiorPortugal
Congolese rumbaDemocratic Republic of the Congo – Congo
Cultural Heritage of Boka Navy Kotor: a festive representation of a memory and cultural identityMontenegro
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)
GamelanIndonesia
Grand Festival of TarijaBolivia (Plurinational State of)
L-Għana, a Maltese folksong traditionMalta
Namur stilt joustingBelgium
Pasillo, song and poetryEcuador
SongketMalaysia
The art of embroidery in Palestine, practices, skills, knowledge and ritualsState of Palestine

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Nomad games, rediscovering heritage, celebrating diversityKyrgyzstan
Success story of promoting traditional foods and safeguarding traditional foodways in KenyaKenya

2020

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking and art mechanicsSwitzerland – France
Hawker culture in Singapore, community dining and culinary practices in a multicultural urban contextSingapore
Knowledge, know-how and practices pertaining to the production and consumption of couscousAlgeria – Mauritania – Morocco – Tunisia
Practices and traditional knowledge of Terere in the culture of Pohã Ñana, Guaraní ancestral drink in ParaguayParaguay
Sauna culture in FinlandFinland
Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in JapanJapan
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

Celestinian forgiveness celebrationItaly
Ethiopian epiphanyEthiopia
GnawaMorocco
Holy Week processions in MendrisioSwitzerland
Nuad Thai, traditional Thai massageThailand
Ommegang of Brussels, an annual historical procession and popular festivalBelgium
The festival of the Santísima Trinidad del Señor Jesús del Gran Poder in the city of La PazBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Tradition of Kosiv painted ceramicsUkraine
Traditional skills of crafting and playing DotārIran (Islamic Republic of)
Winter festivities, Carnival of PodencePortugal

2018

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Shadow playSyrian Arab Republic
Traditional hand puppetryEgypt

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Chakan, embroidery art in the Republic of TajikistanTajikistan
Chidaoba, wrestling in GeorgiaGeorgia
Horse and camel ArdhahOman
HurlingIreland
La Romería (the pilgrimage): ritual cycle of 'La llevada' (the carrying) of the Virgin of ZapopanMexico
Nativity scene (szopka) tradition in KrakowPoland
Raiho-shin, ritual visits of deities in masks and costumesJapan
Reggae music of JamaicaJamaica
Tamboradas drum-playing ritualsSpain

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

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Art of crafting and playing with Kamantcheh/Kamancha, a bowed string musical instrumentAzerbaijan – Iran (Islamic Republic of)
Art of Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’Italy
Basel CarnivalSwitzerland
Chogān, a horse-riding game accompanied by music and storytellingIran (Islamic Republic of)
Cultural practices associated to the 1st of MarchBulgaria – North Macedonia – Republic of Moldova – Romania
Dolma making and sharing tradition, a marker of cultural identityAzerbaijan
Door-to-door rounds of KurentiSlovenia
Kazakh traditional Assyk gamesKazakhstan
Khaen music of the Lao peopleLao People's Democratic Republic
Kochari, traditional group danceArmenia
Kok boru, traditional horse gameKyrgyzstan
Kolo, traditional folk danceSerbia
Konjic woodcarvingBosnia and Herzegovina
Kumbh MelaIndia
Organ craftsmanship and musicGermany
RebetikoGreece
Ritual journeys in La Paz during AlasitaBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Uilleann pipingIreland

2016

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Chapei Dang VengCambodia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Almezmar, drumming and dancing with sticksSaudi Arabia
Beer culture in BelgiumBelgium
Carnival of El Callao, a festive representation of a memory and cultural identityVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Carnival of GranvilleFrance
Flatbread making and sharing culture: Lavash, Katyrma, Jupka, YufkaAzerbaijan – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – Türkiye
Khidr Elias feast and its vowsIraq
Kuresi in KazakhstanKazakhstan
Mangal Shobhajatra on Pahela BaishakhBangladesh
Momoeria, New Year's celebration in eight villages of Kozani area, West Macedonia, GreeceGreece
Music and dance of the merengue in the Dominican RepublicDominican Republic
Palov culture and traditionUzbekistan
Puppetry in Slovakia and CzechiaSlovakia – Czechia
Rumba in Cuba, a festive combination of music and dances and all the practices associatedCuba
Škofja Loka passion playSlovenia
Tahteeb, stick gameEgypt
Valencia Fallas festivitySpain
Winegrowers’ Festival in VeveySwitzerland
Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in JapanJapan

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
Al-Razfa, a traditional performing artUnited Arab Emirates – Oman
Alardah Alnajdiyah, dance, drumming and poetry in Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
Bagpipe cultureSlovakia
Classical horsemanship and the High School of the Spanish Riding School ViennaAustria
Copper craftsmanship of LahijAzerbaijan
Epic art of GoroglyTurkmenistan
Filete porteño in Buenos Aires, a traditional painting techniqueArgentina
Lad’s dances in RomaniaRomania

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
Al-Zajal, recited or sung poetryLebanon
Askiya, the art of witUzbekistan
Baile ChinoChile
Festivity of Virgen de la Candelaria of PunoPeru
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
Traditional art and symbolism of Kelaghayi, making and wearing women’s silk headscarvesAzerbaijan
Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, IndiaIndia
Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paperJapan
Zmijanje embroideryBosnia and Herzegovina

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

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

2013

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

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

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Celebrations of big shoulder-borne processional structuresItaly
Círio de Nazaré (The Taper of Our Lady of Nazareth) in the city of Belém, ParáBrazil
Feast of the Holy Forty Martyrs in ŠtipNorth Macedonia
La Parranda de San Pedro de Guarenas y GuatireVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Limousin septennial ostensionsFrance
Traditional art of Jamdani weavingBangladesh
Turkish coffee culture and traditionTürkiye

2012

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Cherry festival in SefrouMorocco
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
Folk art of the Matyó, embroidery of a traditional communityHungary
Frevo, performing arts of the Carnival of RecifeBrazil
Klapa multipart singing of Dalmatia, southern CroatiaCroatia
Marches of Entre-Sambre-et-MeuseBelgium
Mesir Macunu festivalTürkiye
Rites and craftsmanship associated with the wedding costume tradition of TlemcenAlgeria
Schemenlaufen, the carnival of Imst, AustriaAustria
Traditional violin craftsmanship in CremonaItaly
Venezuela's Dancing Devils of Corpus ChristiVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

2011

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Moorish epic T’heydinnMauritania
Naqqāli, Iranian dramatic story-tellingIran (Islamic Republic of)

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Fado, urban popular song of PortugalPortugal
Festivity of ‘la Mare de Déu de la Salut’ of AlgemesíSpain
Leuven age set ritual repertoireBelgium
Mariachi, string music, song and trumpetMexico
Ride of the Kings in the south-east of the Czech RepublicCzechia
Tsiattista poetic duellingCyprus

2010

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Chant of the Sybil on MajorcaSpain
Craftsmanship of Alençon needle lace-makingFrance
FlamencoSpain
Hopping procession of EchternachLuxembourg
Houtem Jaarmarkt, annual winter fair and livestock market at Sint-Lievens-HoutemBelgium
Huaconada, ritual dance of MitoPeru
Human towersSpain
Kırkpınar oil wrestling festivalTürkiye
Krakelingen and Tonnekensbrand, end-of-winter bread and fire feast at GeraardsbergenBelgium
Parachicos in the traditional January feast of Chiapa de CorzoMexico
Peking operaChina
Ritual dramatic art of Ta‘zīyeIran (Islamic Republic of)
Scissors dancePeru
Shrovetide door-to-door processions and masks in the villages of the Hlinecko areaCzechia
Sinjska Alka, a knights’ tournament in SinjCroatia
Traditional Mexican cuisine - ancestral, ongoing community culture, the Michoacán paradigmMexico
Traditional skills of carpet weaving in KashanIran (Islamic Republic of)
Yuki-tsumugi, silk fabric production techniqueJapan

2009

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Akiu no Taue OdoriJapan
Annual carnival bell ringers’ pageant from the Kastav areaCroatia
Âşıklık (minstrelsy) traditionTürkiye
Aubusson tapestryFrance
Busó festivities at Mohács: masked end-of-winter carnival customHungary
Candombe and its socio-cultural space: a community practiceUruguay
Carnaval de Negros y BlancosColombia
CheoyongmuRepublic of Korea
Craftsmanship of Nanjing Yunjin brocadeChina
DaimokutateJapan
Festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of DubrovnikCroatia
GagakuJapan
Holy Week processions in PopayánColombia
Ijele masqueradeNigeria
KaragözTürkiye
Lacemaking in CroatiaCroatia
Mazu belief and customsChina
Procession of the Holy Blood in BrugesBelgium
TangoArgentina – Uruguay
Traditional firing technology of Longquan celadonChina
Xi’an wind and percussion ensembleChina
Yueju operaChina

2008

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Azerbaijani MughamAzerbaijan
Baltic song and dance celebrationsEstonia – Latvia – Lithuania
Carnival of BarranquillaColombia
Carnival of BincheBelgium
Carnival of OruroBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Cocolo dance drama traditionDominican Republic
Cultural space of Jemaa el-Fna SquareMorocco
El GüegüenseNicaragua
Gangneung Danoje festivalRepublic of Korea
Iraqi MaqamIraq
Kabuki theatreJapan
Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatreIndia
La Tumba FrancesaCuba
Mevlevi Sema ceremonyTürkiye
Mystery play of ElcheSpain
Nha Nhac, Vietnamese court musicViet Nam
Ningyo Johruri Bunraku puppet theatreJapan
Nôgaku theatreJapan
Opera dei Pupi, Sicilian puppet theatreItaly
Palestinian HikayeState of Palestine
Patum of BergaSpain
Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and FranceBelgium – France
Ramlila, the traditional performance of the RamayanaIndia
Royal ancestral ritual in the Jongmyo shrine and its musicRepublic of Korea
Royal ballet of CambodiaCambodia
Samba de Roda of the Recôncavo of BahiaBrazil
Shashmaqom musicUzbekistan – Tajikistan
Slovácko Verbuňk, recruit dancesCzechia
Song of Sana’aYemen
Uyghur Muqam of XinjiangChina
Wayang puppet theatreIndonesia
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