“Intangible cultural heritage includes practices, presentation, expression, knowledge, skills – as well as tools, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated with them – that societies, groups and in some cases individuals consider to be their cultural heritage” 

Definition of ICH from UNESCO

“That since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed”

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. Moreover, UNESCO has played a vital role worldwide in increasing people´s awareness of ICH.

Now over 180 STATES have ratified the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage from 2003.

The purposes of the 2003 Convention are: 

   (a)  oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage

   (b)  performing arts

   (c)  social practices, rituals and festive events 

   (d)  knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe 

   (e)  traditional craftsmanship 

A. Oral Traditions And Expressions, Including Language As A Vehicle Of The Intangible Cultural Heritage 

• An enormous variety of spoken forms. Some are common and can be used by entire communities while others are limited to particular social groups.
• Proverbs, riddles, tales, nursery rhymes, legends, myths, epic songs and poems, charms, prayers, chants, songs, dramatic performances and more.
• Oral traditions and expressions are used to pass on knowledge, cultural and social values and collective memory.

B. Performing Arts 

• This can include music, dance and theatre, pantomime, songs and other forms of artistic expression that are passed down from generation to generation.
• They include numerous cultural expressions that reflect human creativity and that are also found, to some extent, in many other intangible cultural heritage domains.

C.  Social Practices, Rituals And Festive Events

• Social practices, rituals and festive events are habitual activities that structure the lives of communities and groups and that are shared by and relevant to many of their members.
• Rituals and festive events often take place at special times and places and remind a community of aspects of its worldview and history.
• Social practices shape everyday life and are familiar to all members of the community, even if not everybody participates in them.

D.  Knowledge And Practices Concerning Nature And The Universe

• Knowledge, know-how, skills, practices and representations developed by communities by interacting with the natural environment.
• Numerous areas such as traditional ecological wisdom, indigenous knowledge, knowledge about local fauna and flora, traditional healing systems, rituals, beliefs, initiatory rites, cosmologies, shamanism, possession rites, social organisations, festivals, languages and visual arts.

E.  Traditional Craftsmanship 

• There are numerous expressions of traditional craftsmanship: tools; clothing and jewellery; costumes and props for festivals and performing arts; storage containers, objects used for storage, transport and shelter; decorative art and ritual objects; musical instruments and household utensils, and toys, both for amusement and education.
• The skills involved in creating craft objects are as varied as the items themselves and range from delicate, detailed work such as producing paper votives to robust, rugged tasks like creating a sturdy basket or thick blanket.

The concepts often go hand in hand. Intangible cultural heritage consists of traditions, knowledge and customs that are passed down from person to person and are often intertwined with the tangible cultural heritage such as monuments, costumes, tools, houses.

An example of this interplay are the Icelandic turf houses that are preserved by the National Museum of Iceland. The houses themselves are cultural heritage and the building technique, is intangible cultural heritage, skills that are learned from person to person. 

• It can range from simple everyday traditions up to impressive advanced skills.

• The skills and knowledge can be both used in the private life of individuals and publicly. It is both social and individual activity.

• ICH can also be a part of another service, or the  making of a product. 

• ICH  has often the potential to be a resource for community development.

Working with ICH gives the opportunity of verity of professions, part time as well as full time.

If you are already working with ICH these questions could be relevant to you:

If you are interested in working with ICH: 

• Compile a list of traditions, knowledge  and customs in your community.

• Identify the tradition-bearers and elders in your area.

• Think of how, if you would become good at it, it could give you an opportunity of part time or full-time work.

• Think of how it could give you an interesting pastime activity.

• It is possible to work locally or internationally, across many disciplines.

• Is documenting ICH in your community an interesting option?

• What about celebrating ICH with festivals and commemorations?