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 : 141 elements corresponding to 5 regions and 80 countries
2023520224202142020152019620186201762016620155201462013132012142011420109200923200815

2023

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Rickshaws and rickshaw painting in DhakaBangladesh
Traditional craft skills and arts of Al-Mudhif buildingIraq
Traditional irrigation: knowledge, technique, and organizationAustria – Belgium – Germany – Italy – Luxembourg – Netherlands (Kingdom of the) – Switzerland

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

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

Traditional Ahlat stoneworkTürkiye

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Date palm, knowledge, skills, traditions and practicesUnited Arab Emirates – Bahrain – Egypt – Iraq – Jordan – Kuwait – Mauritania – Morocco – Oman – State of Palestine – Qatar – Saudi Arabia – Sudan – Tunisia – Yemen
Manual bell ringingSpain
Pyongyang Raengmyon customDemocratic People’s Republic of Korea

2021

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al-Qudoud al-HalabiyaSyrian Arab Republic
Community festivities in Campo MaiorPortugal
Namur stilt joustingBelgium
Pasillo, song and poetryEcuador

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

Budima danceZambia
Charfia fishing in the Kerkennah IslandsTunisia
Craftsmanship of mechanical watchmaking and art mechanicsSwitzerland – France
Grass mowing competition custom in KupresBosnia and Herzegovina
Handmade production of Christmas tree decorations from blown glass beadsCzechia
Hawker culture in Singapore, community dining and culinary practices in a multicultural urban contextSingapore
Il-Ftira, culinary art and culture of flattened sourdough bread in MaltaMalta
Nar Bayrami, traditional pomegranate festivity and cultureAzerbaijan
Sauna culture in FinlandFinland
Wine HorsesSpain
Yeondeunghoe, lantern lighting festival in the Republic of KoreaRepublic of Korea
Zlakusa pottery making, hand-wheel pottery making in the village of ZlakusaSerbia

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
Cultural Complex of Bumba-meu-boi from MaranhãoBrazil
Holy Week processions in MendrisioSwitzerland
Ommegang of Brussels, an annual historical procession and popular festivalBelgium
Provision of services and hospitality during the Arba'in visitationIraq
Winter festivities, Carnival of PodencePortugal

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
Celebration in honor of the Budslaŭ icon of Our Lady (Budslaŭ fest)Belarus
La Romería (the pilgrimage): ritual cycle of 'La llevada' (the carrying) of the Virgin of ZapopanMexico
Nativity scene (szopka) tradition in KrakowPoland
Pottery skills of the women of SejnaneTunisia

2017

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Art of Neapolitan ‘Pizzaiuolo’Italy
Basel CarnivalSwitzerland
Craftmanship of Estremoz clay figuresPortugal
Door-to-door rounds of KurentiSlovenia
Kumbh MelaIndia
Ritual journeys in La Paz during AlasitaBolivia (Plurinational State of)

2016

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Carnival of El Callao, a festive representation of a memory and cultural identityVenezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
Carnival of GranvilleFrance
Momoeria, New Year's celebration in eight villages of Kozani area, West Macedonia, GreeceGreece
Škofja Loka passion playSlovenia
Valencia Fallas festivitySpain
Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in JapanJapan

2015

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Filete porteño in Buenos Aires, a traditional painting techniqueArgentina
Lad’s dances in RomaniaRomania
Sbuâ, annual pilgrimage to the zawiya of Sidi El Hadj Belkacem in GouraraAlgeria
Surova folk feast in Pernik regionBulgaria
Wititi dance of the Colca ValleyPeru

2014

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Festivity of Virgen de la Candelaria of PunoPeru
Kopachkata, a social dance from the village of Dramche, PijanecNorth Macedonia
Practices and expressions of joking relationships in NigerNiger
Smoke sauna tradition in VõromaaEstonia
Traditional brass and copper craft of utensil making among the Thatheras of Jandiala Guru, Punjab, IndiaIndia
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

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
Celebrations of big shoulder-borne processional structuresItaly
Círio de Nazaré (The Taper of Our Lady of Nazareth) in the city of Belém, ParáBrazil
Commemoration feast of the finding of the True Holy Cross of ChristEthiopia
Feast of the Holy Forty Martyrs in ŠtipNorth Macedonia
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)
Limousin septennial ostensionsFrance
Music of TerchováSlovakia
Sankirtana, ritual singing, drumming and dancing of ManipurIndia
Traditional craftsmanship of the Mongol Ger and its associated customsMongolia

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

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

2012

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Al ‘azi, elegy, processional march and poetryOman
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
Frevo, performing arts of the Carnival of RecifeBrazil
Marches of Entre-Sambre-et-MeuseBelgium
Mesir Macunu festivalTürkiye
Nachi no Dengaku, a religious performing art held at the Nachi fire festivalJapan
Qālišuyān rituals of Mašhad-e Ardehāl in KāšānIran (Islamic Republic of)
Rites and craftsmanship associated with the wedding costume tradition of TlemcenAlgeria
Schemenlaufen, the carnival of Imst, AustriaAustria
Traditional violin craftsmanship in CremonaItaly
Worship of Hùng kings in Phú ThọViet Nam

2011

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Festivity of ‘la Mare de Déu de la Salut’ of AlgemesíSpain
Leuven age set ritual repertoireBelgium
Pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Lord of Qoyllurit’iPeru
Ride of the Kings in the south-east of the Czech RepublicCzechia

2010

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Chant of the Sybil on MajorcaSpain
Daemokjang, traditional wooden architectureRepublic of Korea
Hopping procession of EchternachLuxembourg
Huaconada, ritual dance of MitoPeru
Human towersSpain
Krakelingen and Tonnekensbrand, end-of-winter bread and fire feast at GeraardsbergenBelgium
Parachicos in the traditional January feast of Chiapa de CorzoMexico
Shrovetide door-to-door processions and masks in the villages of the Hlinecko areaCzechia
Sinjska Alka, a knights’ tournament in SinjCroatia

2009

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Rite of the Kalyady Tsars (Christmas Tsars)Belarus
Sanké mon, collective fishing rite of the SankéMali
Traditional design and practices for building Chinese wooden arch bridgesChina
Traditions and practices associated with the Kayas in the sacred forests of the MijikendaKenya

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Akiu no Taue OdoriJapan
Annual carnival bell ringers’ pageant from the Kastav areaCroatia
Busó festivities at Mohács: masked end-of-winter carnival customHungary
Candombe and its socio-cultural space: a community practiceUruguay
Carnaval de Negros y BlancosColombia
Chinese traditional architectural craftsmanship for timber-framed structuresChina
DaimokutateJapan
Dragon Boat festivalChina
Festivity of Saint Blaise, the patron of DubrovnikCroatia
Holy Week processions in PopayánColombia
Ijele masqueradeNigeria
Nestinarstvo, messages from the past: the Panagyr of Saints Constantine and Helena in the village of BulgariBulgaria
Places of memory and living traditions of the Otomí-Chichimecas people of Tolimán: the Peña de Bernal, guardian of a sacred territoryMexico
Procession of the Holy Blood in BrugesBelgium
Procession Za Krizen (‘following the cross’) on the island of HvarCroatia
Septennial re-roofing ceremony of the Kamablon, sacred house of KangabaMali
Spring procession of Ljelje/Kraljice (queens) from GorjaniCroatia
TangoArgentina – Uruguay
Whistled language of the island of La Gomera (Canary Islands), the Silbo GomeroSpain

2008

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Carnival of BarranquillaColombia
Carnival of BincheBelgium
Carnival of OruroBolivia (Plurinational State of)
Cultural space of Jemaa el-Fna SquareMorocco
Cultural space of the Bedu in Petra and Wadi RumJordan
Cultural space of the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of the Congos of Villa MellaDominican Republic
El GüegüenseNicaragua
Gangneung Danoje festivalRepublic of Korea
Moussem of Tan-TanMorocco
Mystery play of ElcheSpain
Patum of BergaSpain
Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and FranceBelgium – France
Rabinal Achí dance drama traditionGuatemala
Samba de Roda of the Recôncavo of BahiaBrazil
Woodcrafting knowledge of the ZafimaniryMadagascar
Top