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.

Full text search: The system will search the exact expression entered (i.e. ‘sustainable development’), except if you separate the terms by a comma so that the motor search one or the other expression or the two (i.e. ‘foodways, culinary practices’).

The system will search the exact expression entered (i.e. ‘sustainable development’), except if you separate the terms by a comma so that the motor search one or the other expression or the two (i.e. ‘foodways, culinary practices’).

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include secondary level relations Elements potentially related to World Heritage sites whc

Files considered good examples by the Committee

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Results : 32 elements corresponding to 4 regions and 25 countries

List of elements
Statistics
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year

2023³ – 2022³ – 2021¹ – 2020¹ – 2019¹ – 2018¹ – 2016¹ – 2015² – 2014² – 2013¹ – 2012¹ – 2011⁴ – 2010¹ – 2009⁴ – 2008⁶

2023
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
Ingoma Ya Mapiko	Mozambique
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Junkanoo	Bahamas
Sona, drawings and geometric figures on sand	Angola
2022
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Ancestral system of knowledge of the four indigenous peoples, Arhuaco, Kankuamo, Kogui and Wiwa of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta	Colombia
Bear festivities in the Pyrenees	Andorra – France
Kalela dance	Zambia
2021
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
Cultural practices and expressions linked to the 'M’Bolon', a traditional musical percussion instrument	Mali
2020
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Budima dance	Zambia
2019
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
Seperu folkdance and associated practices	Botswana
2018
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
Enkipaata, Eunoto and Olng'esherr, three male rites of passage of the Maasai community	Kenya
2016
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Gada system, an indigenous democratic socio-political system of the Oromo	Ethiopia
2015
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Summer solstice fire festivals in the Pyrenees	Andorra – Spain – France
Wititi dance of the Colca Valley	Peru
2014
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
Isukuti dance of Isukha and Idakho communities of Western Kenya	Kenya
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Coming forth of the masks and puppets in Markala	Mali
2013
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
Empaako tradition of the Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku, Batagwenda and Banyabindi of western Uganda	Uganda
2012
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Cultural practices and expressions linked to the balafon of the Senufo communities of Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d'Ivoire	Mali – Burkina Faso – Côte d'Ivoire
2011
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
Esuwa, Harakbut sung prayers of Peru’s Wachiperi people	Peru
Secret society of the Kôrêdugaw, the rite of wisdom in Mali	Mali
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Leuven age set ritual repertoire	Belgium
Traditional knowledge of the jaguar shamans of Yuruparí	Colombia
2010
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Compagnonnage, network for on-the-job transmission of knowledge and identities	France
2009
List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding
Traditions and practices associated with the Kayas in the sacred forests of the Mijikenda	Kenya
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Daimokutate	Japan
Scribing tradition in French timber framing	France
Spring procession of Ljelje/Kraljice (queens) from Gorjani	Croatia
2008
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Bistritsa Babi, archaic polyphony, dances and rituals from the Shoplouk region	Bulgaria
Căluş ritual	Romania
Gule Wamkulu	Malawi – Mozambique – Zambia
Kankurang, Manding initiatory rite	Gambia – Senegal
Makishi masquerade	Zambia
Mevlevi Sema ceremony	Türkiye