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.







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Results : 246 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 111 countries
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2023

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Ingoma Ya MapikoMozambique
Mek MulungMalaysia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Bolero: identity, emotion and poetry turned into songCuba – Mexico
Ch'utillos, the Festival of San Bartolomé and San Ignacio de Loyola, the meeting of cultures in PotosíBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Dabkeh, traditional dance in PalestinePalestine
Garba of GujaratIndia
Hiragasy, a performing art of the Central Highlands of MadagascarMadagascar
JunkanooBahamas
Polonaise, traditional Polish dancePoland
Procession and celebrations of Prophet Mohammed's birthday in SudanSudan
Rotterdam Summer CarnivalNetherlands
Sadeh/Sada celebrationIran (Islamic Republic of) – Tajikistan
Sango Festival, OyoNigeria

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

ICH safeguarding practices program for the cultural and ecologic Sea Turtle Festival of ArmilaPanama
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

Ancestral system of knowledge of the four indigenous peoples, Arhuaco, Kankuamo, Kogui and Wiwa of the Sierra Nevada de Santa MartaColombia
August 15th (Dekapentavgoustos) festivities in two Highland Communities of Northern Greece: Tranos Choros (Grand Dance) in Vlasti and Syrrako FestivalGreece
Bear festivities in the PyreneesAndorra – France
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
Hungarian string band traditionHungary
Kalela danceZambia
Knowledge of the light rum mastersCuba
Orteke, traditional performing art in Kazakhstan: dance, puppet and musicKazakhstan
Raï, popular folk song of AlgeriaAlgeria
Talchum, mask dance drama in the Republic of KoreaRepublic of Korea
The practice of Modern Dance in GermanyGermany

2021

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Cultural practices and expressions linked to the 'M’Bolon', a traditional musical percussion instrumentMali

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Qudoud al-HalabiyaSyrian Arab Republic
Art of Xòe dance of the Tai people in Viet NamViet Nam
Congolese rumbaDemocratic Republic of the Congo – Congo
Cultural Heritage of Boka Navy Kotor: a festive representation of a memory and cultural identityMontenegro
Dances and expressions associated with the Corpus Christi FestivityPanama
FalakTajikistan
Festive cycle around the devotion and worship towards Saint John the Baptist Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Grand Festival of TarijaBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Inuit drum dancing and singingDenmark
Kaustinen fiddle playing and related practices and expressions Finland
MoutyaSeychelles
Nora, dance drama in southern ThailandThailand

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

The School of Living Traditions (SLT)Philippines

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

ChamaméArgentina
Grass mowing competition custom in KupresBosnia and Herzegovina
Pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus Apostle MonasteryIran (Islamic Republic of) – Armenia

2019

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Buklog, thanksgiving ritual system of the SubanenPhilippines
Rituals and practices associated with Kit Mikayi shrineKenya
Sega tambour ChagosMauritius
Seperu folkdance and associated practicesBotswana
Spring rite of Juraŭski KarahodBelarus

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

'Ie Samoa, fine mat and its cultural valueSamoa
‘Hatajo de Negritos’ and ‘Hatajo de Pallitas’ from the Peruvian south-central coastlinePeru
GnawaMorocco
Khorazm dance, LazgiUzbekistan
Kwagh-Hir theatrical performanceNigeria
Morna, musical practice of Cabo VerdeCabo Verde
Music and dance of Dominican BachataDominican Republic
Ommegang of Brussels, an annual historical procession and popular festivalBelgium
Practice of traditional music and dance in Setesdal, playing, dancing and singing (stev/stevjing)Norway
Practices of Then by Tày, Nùng and Thái ethnic groups in Viet NamViet Nam
The festival of the Santísima Trinidad del Señor Jesús del Gran Poder in the city of La PazBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Winter festivities, Carnival of PodencePortugal

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
Suri Jagek (observing the sun), traditional meteorological and astronomical practice based on the observation of the sun, moon and stars in reference to the local topographyPakistan
Yalli (Kochari, Tenzere), traditional group dances of NakhchivanAzerbaijan

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

As-Samer in JordanJordan
Chidaoba, wrestling in GeorgiaGeorgia
Dondang SayangMalaysia
Festivity of Las Parrandas in the centre of CubaCuba
Horse and camel ArdhahOman
Khon, masked dance drama in ThailandThailand
La Romería (the pilgrimage): ritual cycle of 'La llevada' (the carrying) of the Virgin of ZapopanMexico
Međimurska popevka, a folksong from MeđimurjeCroatia
Mwinoghe, joyous danceMalawi
Picking of iva grass on Ozren mountainBosnia and Herzegovina
Traditional spring festive rites of the Kazakh horse breedersKazakhstan

2017

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Dikopelo folk music of Bakgatla ba Kgafela in Kgatleng DistrictBotswana
Mongolian traditional practices of worshipping the sacred sitesMongolia
Taskiwin, martial dance of the western High AtlasMorocco

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Chogān, a horse-riding game accompanied by music and storytellingIran (Islamic Republic of)
Khaen music of the Lao peopleLao People's Democratic Republic
Kochari, traditional group danceArmenia
Kolo, traditional folk danceSerbia
Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancingTurkmenistan
RebetikoGreece
Sega tambour of Rodrigues IslandMauritius
Spring celebration, HıdrellezNorth Macedonia – Türkiye
Traditional system of Corongo’s water judgesPeru
Uilleann pipingIreland
Xoan singing of Phú Thọ province, Viet Nam Viet Nam
Zaouli, popular music and dance of the Guro communities in Côte d’IvoireCôte d'Ivoire

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Bulgarian Chitalishte (Community Cultural Centre): practical experience in safeguarding the vitality of the Intangible Cultural HeritageBulgaria

2016

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Ma'di bowl lyre music and danceUganda

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Almezmar, drumming and dancing with sticksSaudi Arabia
Argungu international fishing and cultural festivalNigeria
Bhojpuri folk songs in Mauritius, Geet-GawaiMauritius
Carnival of El Callao, a festive representation of a memory and cultural identityVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Carnival of GranvilleFrance
Charrería, equestrian tradition in MexicoMexico
Khidr Elias feast and its vowsIraq
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
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
Practices related to the Viet beliefs in the Mother Goddesses of Three RealmsViet Nam
Rumba in Cuba, a festive combination of music and dances and all the practices associatedCuba

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Festival of folklore in Koprivshtitsa: a system of practices for heritage presentation and transmissionBulgaria

2015

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Razfa, a traditional performing artUnited Arab Emirates – Oman
Alardah Alnajdiyah, dance, drumming and poetry in Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
Bagpipe cultureSlovakia
Fichee-Chambalaalla, New Year festival of the Sidama peopleEthiopia
Lad’s dances in RomaniaRomania
Marimba music, traditional chants and dances from the Colombia South Pacific region and Esmeraldas Province of EcuadorColombia – Ecuador
Oshituthi shomagongo, marula fruit festivalNamibia
Sbuâ, annual pilgrimage to the zawiya of Sidi El Hadj Belkacem in GouraraAlgeria
Summer solstice fire festivals in the PyreneesAndorra – Spain – France
Three genres of traditional dance in BaliIndonesia
Wititi dance of the Colca ValleyPeru

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

Al-Ayyala, a traditional performing art of the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab EmiratesOman – United Arab Emirates
Arirang folk song in the Democratic People’s Republic of KoreaDemocratic People’s Republic of Korea
Baile ChinoChile
Capoeira circleBrazil
Festivity of Virgen de la Candelaria of PunoPeru
Gwoka: music, song, dance and cultural practice representative of Guadeloupean identityFrance
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
Pujllay and Ayarichi, music and dances of the Yampara cultureBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Ritual and ceremonies of Sebeïba in the oasis of Djanet, AlgeriaAlgeria
Traditional Mauritian SegaMauritius

2013

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Nan Pa’ch ceremonyGuatemala

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Annual pilgrimage to the mausoleum of Sidi ‘Abd el-Qader Ben Mohammed (Sidi Cheikh)Algeria
Knowledge, skills and rituals related to the annual renewal of the Q’eswachaka bridgePeru
La Parranda de San Pedro de Guarenas y GuatireVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Men’s group Colindat, Christmas-time ritualRepublic of Moldova – Romania
Music of TerchováSlovakia
Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of ManipurIndia

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Methodology for inventorying intangible cultural heritage in biosphere reserves: the experience of MontsenySpain

2012

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Bigwala, gourd trumpet music and dance of the Busoga Kingdom in UgandaUganda

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Arirang, lyrical folk song in the Republic of KoreaRepublic of Korea
Buddhist chanting of Ladakh: recitation of sacred Buddhist texts in the trans-Himalayan Ladakh region, Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaIndia
Cherry festival in SefrouMorocco
Fest-Noz, festive gathering based on the collective practice of traditional dances of BrittanyFrance
Fiesta of the patios in CordovaSpain
Folk art of the Matyó, embroidery of a traditional communityHungary
Frevo, performing arts of the Carnival of RecifeBrazil
Mesir Macunu festivalTürkiye
Rites and craftsmanship associated with the wedding costume tradition of TlemcenAlgeria
Schemenlaufen, the carnival of Imst, AustriaAustria
Venezuela's Dancing Devils of Corpus ChristiVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

2011

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Saman danceIndonesia
Secret society of the Kôrêdugaw, the rite of wisdom in MaliMali
Yaokwa, the Enawene Nawe people's ritual for the maintenance of social and cosmic orderBrazil

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
Jultagi, tightrope walkingRepublic of Korea
Nijemo Kolo, silent circle dance of the Dalmatian hinterlandCroatia
Pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllurit’iPeru
Ride of the Kings in the south-east of the Czech RepublicCzechia
Traditional knowledge of the jaguar shamans of YuruparíColombia

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

Fandango's Living MuseumBrazil
Programme of cultivating ludodiversity: safeguarding traditional games in FlandersBelgium
Táncház method: a Hungarian model for the transmission of intangible cultural heritageHungary

2010

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

MeshrepChina
Ojkanje singingCroatia

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Bar’ah, music and dance of Oman Dhofari valleysOman
Chhau danceIndia
FlamencoSpain
Gióng festival of Phù Ðông and Sóc templesViet Nam
Hopping procession of EchternachLuxembourg
Huaconada, ritual dance of MitoPeru
Kalbelia folk songs and dances of RajasthanIndia
Krakelingen and Tonnekensbrand, end-of-winter bread and fire feast at GeraardsbergenBelgium
Kumiodori, traditional Okinawan musical theatreJapan
Mudiyettu, ritual theatre and dance drama of KeralaIndia
Naadam, Mongolian traditional festivalMongolia
Parachicos in the traditional January feast of Chiapa de CorzoMexico
Peking operaChina
Shrovetide door-to-door processions and masks in the villages of the Hlinecko areaCzechia
Sutartinės, Lithuanian multipart songsLithuania
Traditional Sohbet meetingsTürkiye

2009

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Ca trù singingViet Nam
Mongol Biyelgee, Mongolian traditional folk danceMongolia
Qiang New Year festivalChina
Rite of the Kalyady Tsars (Christmas Tsars)Belarus
Sanké mon, collective fishing rite of the SankéMali
Traditions and practices associated with the Kayas in the sacred forests of the MijikendaKenya

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Annual carnival bell ringers’ pageant from the Kastav areaCroatia
Art of Azerbaijani AshiqAzerbaijan
Candombe and its socio-cultural space: a community practiceUruguay
DoinaRomania
GagakuJapan
Gesar epic traditionChina
Grand song of the Dong ethnic groupChina
Hayachine KaguraJapan
Ijele masqueradeNigeria
Jeju Chilmeoridang YeongdeunggutRepublic of Korea
MaloyaFrance
Mazu belief and customsChina
Namsadang NoriRepublic of Korea
Seto Leelo, Seto polyphonic singing traditionEstonia
Spring procession of Ljelje/Kraljice (queens) from GorjaniCroatia
TangoArgentina – Uruguay
Tibetan operaChina
Two-part singing and playing in the Istrian scaleCroatia

2008

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Ahellil of GouraraAlgeria
Baltic song and dance celebrationsEstonia – Latvia – Lithuania
Baul songsBangladesh
Bistritsa Babi, archaic polyphony, dances and rituals from the Shoplouk regionBulgaria
Canto a tenore, Sardinian pastoral songsItaly
Carnival of BarranquillaColombia
Carnival of BincheBelgium
Carnival of OruroBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Chopi TimbilaMozambique
Cocolo dance drama traditionDominican Republic
Cultural space and oral culture of the SemeiskieRussian Federation
Cultural space of Boysun DistrictUzbekistan
Cultural space of Jemaa el-Fna SquareMorocco
Cultural space of Palenque de San BasilioColombia
Cultural space of the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of the Congos of Villa MellaDominican Republic
Cultural space of the Yaaral and DegalMali
Duduk and its musicArmenia
El GüegüenseNicaragua
Gbofe of Afounkaha, the music of the transverse trumps of the Tagbana communityCôte d'Ivoire
Kihnu cultural spaceEstonia
Kun Qu operaChina
Kutiyattam, Sanskrit theatreIndia
La Tumba FrancesaCuba
Lakalaka, dances and sung speeches of TongaTonga
Language, dance and music of the GarifunaBelize – Guatemala – Honduras – Nicaragua
Mak Yong theatreMalaysia
Makishi masqueradeZambia
Maroon heritage of Moore TownJamaica
Nha Nhac, Vietnamese court musicViet Nam
Nôgaku theatreJapan
Oral heritage of GeledeBenin – Nigeria – Togo
Patum of BergaSpain
Rabinal Achí dance drama traditionGuatemala
Royal ancestral ritual in the Jongmyo shrine and its musicRepublic of Korea
Royal ballet of CambodiaCambodia
Samba de Roda of the Recôncavo of BahiaBrazil
Sbek Thom, Khmer shadow theatreCambodia
Slovácko Verbuňk, recruit dancesCzechia
Song of Sana’aYemen
Traditional music of the Morin KhuurMongolia
Uyghur Muqam of XinjiangChina
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