Adoption of the Convention

The 32nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO adopts the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage on 17 October 2003. The new Convention expands the concept of cultural heritage to include intangible cultural heritage and highlights the importance of safeguarding it at the international level.

Entry into force

The Convention enters into force on 20 April 2006, three months after the ratification of the thirtieth State. The first session of the General Assembly takes place in June to elect the Intergovernmental Committee.

First session

First session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

18 to 19 November 2006

Algiers, Algeria

First extraordinary session

First extraordinary session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

23 to 27 May 2007

Chengdu, China

Second session

Second session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

3 to 7 September 2007

Tokyo, Japan

Operational Directives established

On 19 June 2008, the General Assembly approves the first version of the Operational Directives for the Implementation of the Convention, which define, among others, the modalities for inscription on the Lists and the Register, financial assistance and periodic reporting.

Incorporation of masterpieces into the Representative List

The 90 Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity (proclaimed between 2001 and 2005) are incorporated in the Representative List of the Convention, in accordance with Article 31 of the Convention.

International Assistance established

The International Assistance mechanism is created. Over the years, its accessibility is improved by allowing requests up to US$ 100,000 to be made at any time and creating a dedicated team within the Secretariat. Access the International Assistance Toolkit here.

Key achievements:

• 60 countries granted International Assistance
• +100 projects funded
• +US$ 10 million granted

Second extraordinary session

Second extraordinary session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

18 to 22 February 2008

Sofia, Bulgaria

Third extraordinary session

Third extraordinary session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

16 June 2008

UNESCO Headquarters, Paris

Third session

Third session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

4 to 8 November 2008

Istanbul, Turkey

Creation of Lists and the Register

The international listing system of the Convention becomes operational with three mechanisms:

• The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (or the Representative List)
• The List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding (or the Urgent Safeguarding List)
• The Register of programmes, projects and activities that best reflect the principles and objectives of the Convention (commonly known as the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices)

Fourth session

Fourth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

28 September to 2 October 2009

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

First inscriptions

In October 2009, the Committee proceeds with the first set of inscriptions on the Representative List, the Urgent Safeguarding List, and the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices. Browse the Lists and Register here.
Key achievements:

• 568 elements from 136 countries inscribed on the Representative List
• 76 elements from 40 countries inscribed on the Urgent Safeguarding List
• 33 programmes, projects and activities from 31 countries selected for inclusion in the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices
• 677 elements from 140 countries inscribed in total

Global capacity building programme launched

The global capacity building programme for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage is established.
Key achievements:

• +138 countries benefit
• +60 thematic training units established
• +330 capacity-building workshops conducted

Fifth session

Fifth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

15 to 19 November 2010

Nairobi, Kenya

First periodic reports submitted

The States Parties submit the first periodic reports, which highlight the challenges of safeguarding at the national level and the importance of strengthening the capacity of stakeholders to establish effective safeguarding frameworks.

Facilitators network created

The Global Network of Facilitators is established to support countries with the implementation of the Convention. In 2022, the network is expanded to train and integrate a new generation of facilitators into the capacity-building programme.
Key achievements:

• 238 total members integrated

Sixth session

Sixth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

22 to 29 November 2011

Bali, Indonésie

ICH NGO Forum created

The Intangible Cultural Heritage NGO Forum is established to provide a platform for communication, networking, exchange and cooperation for NGOs accredited under the Convention. The forum organizes meetings and symposia on shared international challenges in the safeguarding policies and practices of intangible cultural heritage.

Fourth extraordinary session

Fourth extraordinary session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

8 June 2012

UNESCO Headquarters, Paris

Seventh session

Seventh session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

3 to 7 December 2012

UNESCO Headquarters, Paris

Tenth anniversary of the Convention

The intangible heritage family continues to grow and includes about 150 States Parties to the Convention, 156 accredited NGOs in the field of intangible heritage and 77 trainers supporting UNESCO’s global capacity-building strategy.

Eighth session

Seventh session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

2 to 7 December 2013

Baku, Azerbaijan

Ninth session

Ninth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

24 to 28 November 2014

UNESCO Headquarters, Paris

Ethical principles endorsed

The Intergovernmental Committee endorses twelve ethical principles for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage at its tenth session in Windhoek, Namibia, from 30 November to 4 December 2015.

Evaluation Body created

The Committee establishes a consultative body (the ‘Evaluation Body’) to evaluate the nominations to the Lists, the proposals for the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices and certain types of International Assistance requests. This Body replaces earlier bodies that had performed evaluation functions for the Intergovernmental Committee in the past. Its elected members include six accredited NGOs in addition to six experts representing States Parties non-members of the Committee.

Tenth session

Tenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

30 November to 4 December 2015

Windhoek, Namibia

Expanding partnerships

The reach of the Convention continues to expand thanks to strengthening partnerships with category 2 centres (C2C), NGOs and universities.
Partnerships include:

• 217 accredited NGOs
• 8 C2Cs
• 14 UNESCO Chairs
• 2 UNITWIN (‘University twinning and networking’) Networks

Living heritage and sustainable development

A new chapter on ‘Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development at the national level’ is approved for the Operational Directives for the Implementation of the Convention. It includes:

• Inclusive social development
• Inclusive economic development
• Environmental sustainability
• Intangible cultural heritage and peace

Eleventh session

Eleventh session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

28 November to 2 December 2016

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Living heritage and education becomes a priority

An intersectoral initiative on the safeguarding of living heritage in formal and non-formal education is launched, promoting a broader approach to safeguarding with the potential to reach communities while helping States meet their commitments under Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). Intangible cultural heritage in education becomes one of the Convention’s two priorities.
Key achievements:

• +80 countries participate
• Increased awareness and appreciation of living heritage and cultural diversity

Twelfth session

Twelfth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

4 to 9 December 2017

Jeju Island, Republic of Korea

Dive into intangible cultural heritage!

The interactive online platform ‘Dive into Intangible Cultural Heritage!’ is launched, proposing a new way of visualizing the multi-faceted nature of intangible cultural heritage and exploring how different elements inscribed on UNESCO’s Lists and Register connect across domains, themes, natural environments and ecosystems.

Overall Results Framework elaborated

At its seventh session, the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention approves the Overall Results Framework. The framework identifies long-term, mid-term and short-term outcomes, as well as eight thematic areas, with twenty-six core indicators and eighty-six assessment factors. For an effective monitoring of the implementation of the Convention, the periodic reporting mechanism is aligned with the Overall Results Framework.

Periodic reporting mechanism reformed

The General Assembly approves the amendments to the Operational Directives on periodic reporting and the status of elements inscribed on the Representative List. The amendments support a transition towards a regional cycle of reporting on the implementation of the Convention, based on a participatory and multi-stakeholder approach. They also facilitate the systematic analysis of safeguarding data at regional and global levels.
Key achievements:

• +80% submission rates
• Increased policy debates

Global reflection on the listing mechanisms of the 2003 Convention

An open-ended intergovernmental working group is created to reflect on the intent and purpose of the listing mechanisms and to seek solutions to a series of wide-ranging and interrelated issues identified through a decade of implementation. The working group adopts a set of recommendations for the Intergovernmental Committee. The Committee endorses the recommendations, which leads to the revision of the Operational Directives by the ninth session of the General Assembly in July 2022. Learn more about the global reflection and its outcomes.

Thirteenth session

Thirteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

26 November to 1 December 2018

Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius

Online Research Bibliography developed

Based on work initiated in 2012, an online 2003 Convention Research Bibliography is developed with the support of the research community. More than 1000 research references related to the Convention are identified. Efforts to update and index this interactive bibliography are ongoing. Consult the bibliography.

Fourteenth session

Fourteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

9 to 14 December 2019

Bogotá, Republic of Colombia

COVID-19 impact

In April 2020, UNESCO launches an online survey to grasp the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic around the world. It receives more than 200 testimonies from 78 countries. The Living Heritage in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic report summarizes the results of the survey and the challenges and opportunities for living heritage during this crisis.

Capacity building expands online

The capacity building programme is reoriented to a multimodal format (online and in person) and an extended thematic approach. Next to long-standing areas such as education, gender equality, priority Africa, emergency situations, indigenous peoples and sustainable development, three thematic areas for action are identified:

• The economic dimension of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage
• Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and climate change
• Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in urban contexts

Enhanced NGOs voices

The Committee discusses the report of the ICH NGO Forum on the participation of NGOs in the implementation of the Convention. From 2021 to 2022, the ICH NGO Forum leads the first round of a mapping exercise of the domains of competence of accredited NGOs.

Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in emergencies

Following an expert meeting held in May 2019, the Operational Principles for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Emergencies are adopted by the eighth session of the General Assembly. This framework document affirms the dual nature of intangible cultural heritage in the context of emergencies: on the one hand, intangible cultural heritage can be directly threatened by emergencies, and on the other hand, it can effectively help communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. Read more about the principles.

Fifteenth session

Fourteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

14 to 19 December 2020

Online

Inventorying Intangible Cultural Heritage

A Guidance Note on Inventorying Intangible Cultural Heritage is developed to inspire States Parties when developing or revising inventories of intangible cultural heritage. Read the Guidance Note here.

Sixteenth session

Sixteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

13 to 18 December 2021

Online

First MOOC on living heritage and sustainable development

UNESCO launches its first MOOC on living heritage and sustainable development. The six-week course is self-paced, free and available in English, French and Spanish. Enrol here.

Listing mechanisms reformed by General Assembly

The 2022 Edition of the Basic Texts, containing the Operational Directives as amended by the General Assembly, is published. It includes new and improved procedures to make the Lists and Register of the Convention more dynamic and interconnected. The updates are direct results of the Global reflection on the listing mechanisms (2018–2022) as requested by the governing bodies of the Convention. Nomination forms are also either simplified, revised or newly established to reflect the changes. Learn more about the changes here.

Fifth extraordinary session

Sixteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

1 July 2022

Online

New reflection launched on sharing Good safeguarding practices

The global reflection on the listing mechanisms (2018–2022) gives rise to a new initiative to reflect on a broader implementation of Article 18 of the Convention. The reflection considers how to share good safeguarding practices more broadly and how to amplify the voices of communities and their aspirations for safeguarding their living heritage.

Seventeenth session

Seventeenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

28 November to 3 December 2022

Rabat, Morocco

20th anniversary of the Convention

Ratified by 181 countries, the Convention has attained a near universal reach. The 20th anniversary is an important occasion to stake stock of the Convention’s achievements and to reflect on the directions it can take in the coming decades to foster international cooperation and increased awareness of the significance of living heritage.