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 designations employed in the texts and documents of the nomination presented by the submitting State Party or 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 or c) the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.







More criteria
Results : 81 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 100 countries
202311 – 202213 – 20219 – 202011 – 20193 – 20186 – 20175 – 20163 – 20157 – 20141 – 20132 – 20122 – 20092 – 20086

2023

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

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 – Palestine – Saudi Arabia – Sudan – Tunisia – Yemen
Bolero: identity, emotion and poetry turned into songCuba – Mexico
Craftsmanship and performing art of balaban/meyAzerbaijan – Türkiye
Craftsmanship of mother of pearl inlayAzerbaijan – Türkiye
Harees dish: know-how, skills and practicesUnited Arab Emirates – Oman – Saudi Arabia
Midwifery: knowledge, skills and practicesColombia – Cyprus – Germany – Kyrgyzstan – Luxembourg – Nigeria – Slovenia – Togo
Sadeh/Sada celebrationIran (Islamic Republic of) – Tajikistan
Traditional irrigation: knowledge, technique, and organizationAustria – Belgium – Germany – Italy – Luxembourg – Netherlands – Switzerland
Transhumance, the seasonal droving of livestockAlbania – Andorra – Austria – Croatia – France – Greece – Italy – Luxembourg – Romania – Spain

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Nyckelharpa network, an innovative dissemination of a music and instrument-building tradition with roots in SwedenSweden

2022

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Alheda'a, oral traditions of calling camel flocksSaudi Arabia – Oman – United Arab Emirates
Bear festivities in the PyreneesAndorra – France
Beekeeping in Slovenia, a way of lifeSlovenia
Crafting and playing the OudIran (Islamic Republic of) – Syrian Arab Republic
Date palm, knowledge, skills, traditions and practicesUnited Arab Emirates – Bahrain – Egypt – Iraq – Jordan – Kuwait – Mauritania – Morocco – Oman – Palestine – Qatar – Saudi Arabia – Sudan – Tunisia – Yemen
Lipizzan horse breeding traditionsAustria – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Croatia – Hungary – Italy – Romania – Slovakia – Slovenia
Sericulture and traditional production of silk for weavingAfghanistan – Azerbaijan – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Türkiye – Tajikistan – Turkmenistan – Uzbekistan
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
Timber raftingAustria – Czechia – Germany – Latvia – Poland – Spain
Turkmen-style needlework artTurkmenistan – Iran (Islamic Republic of)

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Portuguese-Galician border ICH: a safeguarding model created by Ponte...nas ondas!Portugal – Spain
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

Arabic calligraphy: knowledge, skills and practicesSaudi Arabia – Algeria – Bahrain – Egypt – Iraq – Jordan – Kuwait – Lebanon – Mauritania – Morocco – Oman – Palestine – Sudan – Tunisia – United Arab Emirates – Yemen
Congolese rumbaDemocratic Republic of the Congo – Congo
Falconry, a living human heritageUnited Arab Emirates – Austria – Belgium – Croatia – Czechia – France – Germany – Hungary – Ireland – Italy – Kazakhstan – Republic of Korea – Kyrgyzstan – Mongolia – Morocco – Netherlands – Pakistan – Poland – Portugal – Qatar – Saudi Arabia – Slovakia – Spain – Syrian Arab Republic
Inuit drum dancing and singingDenmark
Nordic clinker boat traditionsDenmark – Finland – Iceland – Norway – Sweden

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

National programme to safeguard the traditional art of calligraphy in IranIran (Islamic Republic of)
Nomad games, rediscovering heritage, celebrating diversityKyrgyzstan
Success story of promoting traditional foods and safeguarding traditional foodways in KenyaKenya
The School of Living Traditions (SLT)Philippines

2020

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Art of miniatureAzerbaijan – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Türkiye – Uzbekistan
Camel racing, a social practice and a festive heritage associated with camelsUnited Arab Emirates – Oman
Ong Chun/Wangchuan/Wangkang ceremony, rituals and related practices for maintaining the sustainable connection between man and the oceanChina – Malaysia
PantunIndonesia – Malaysia
Pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus Apostle MonasteryIran (Islamic Republic of) – Armenia
The art of glass beadsItaly – France
Traditional intelligence and strategy game: Togyzqumalaq, Toguz Korgool, Mangala/GöçürmeKazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan – Türkiye
Traditional weaving of Al SaduSaudi Arabia – Kuwait
Tree beekeeping culturePoland – Belarus

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

AlpinismFrance – Italy – Switzerland
Artisanal talavera of Puebla and Tlaxcala (Mexico) and ceramics of Talavera de la Reina and El Puente del Arzobispo (Spain) making processMexico – Spain
Byzantine chantCyprus – Greece

2018

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Art of dry stone walling, knowledge and techniquesCroatia – Cyprus – France – Greece – Italy – Slovenia – Spain – Switzerland
Avalanche risk managementSwitzerland – Austria
Blaudruck/Modrotisk/Kékfestés/Modrotlač, resist block printing and indigo dyeing in EuropeAustria – Czechia – Germany – Hungary – Slovakia
Heritage of Dede Qorqud/Korkyt Ata/Dede Korkut, epic culture, folk tales and musicAzerbaijan – Kazakhstan – Türkiye
Reggae music of JamaicaJamaica
Traditional Korean wrestling (Ssirum/Ssireum)Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – Republic of Korea

2017

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Colombian-Venezuelan llano work songsColombia – Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

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)
Cultural practices associated to the 1st of MarchBulgaria – North Macedonia – Republic of Moldova – Romania
Spring celebration, HıdrellezNorth Macedonia – Türkiye

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Margilan Crafts Development Centre, safeguarding of the atlas and adras making traditional technologiesUzbekistan

2016

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

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

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Community project of safeguarding the living culture of Rovinj/Rovigno: the Batana EcomuseumCroatia
Regional Centres for Craftsmanship: a strategy for safeguarding the cultural heritage of traditional handicraftAustria

2015

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Aitysh/Aitys, art of improvisationKazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan
Al-Razfa, a traditional performing artUnited Arab Emirates – Oman
Arabic coffee, a symbol of generosityUnited Arab Emirates – Saudi Arabia – Oman – Qatar
Majlis, a cultural and social spaceUnited Arab Emirates – Saudi Arabia – Oman – Qatar
Marimba music, traditional chants and dances from the Colombia South Pacific region and Esmeraldas Province of EcuadorColombia – Ecuador
Summer solstice fire festivals in the PyreneesAndorra – Spain – France
Tugging rituals and gamesCambodia – Philippines – Republic of Korea – Viet Nam

2014

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Traditional knowledge and skills in making Kyrgyz and Kazakh yurts (Turkic nomadic dwellings)Kazakhstan – Kyrgyzstan

2013

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Mediterranean dietCyprus – Croatia – Spain – Greece – Italy – Morocco – Portugal
Practices and knowledge linked to the Imzad of the Tuareg communities of Algeria, Mali and NigerAlgeria – Mali – Niger

2012

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Taghrooda, traditional Bedouin chanted poetry in the United Arab Emirates and the Sultanate of OmanUnited Arab Emirates – Oman
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

2009

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

TangoArgentina – Uruguay

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage of Aymara communities in Bolivia, Chile and PeruBolivia (Plurinational State of) – Chile – Peru

2008

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Baltic song and dance celebrationsEstonia – Latvia – Lithuania
Gule WamkuluMalawi – Mozambique – Zambia
Kankurang, Manding initiatory riteGambia – Senegal
Oral heritage of GeledeBenin – Nigeria – Togo
Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and FranceBelgium – France
Shashmaqom musicUzbekistan – Tajikistan
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