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“Intangible cultural heritage” means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.
The “intangible cultural heritage”, as defined above, is manifested inter alia in the following domains:
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oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible Cultural heritage; |
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performing arts; |
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social practices, rituals and festive events; |
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knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; |
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tradicional craftsmanship. |
(Convention for the Protection of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003). |
Intangible heritage is present in every aspect of the life of individuals and in all things related to cultural heritage– objects, monuments, sites and landscapes. Intangible Heritage is comprehensive and concerns to every individual, because every individual is a bearer of the heritage of his/her community. Safeguarding this cultural heritage must be based on the individual’s initiative and receive the support of associations, specialists, and institutions.
Intangible heritage is the foundation of identity, creativity, and cultural diversity of communities and constitutes a wealth common to all humanity.
In the field of the Safeguarding on Intangible Cultural Heritage, UNESCO implements four major programmes: the Proclamation of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, the Human Living Treasures, Endangered Languages and Traditional Music of the World.
The Proclamation of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity is a category established by UNESCO in 1997. There have been three proclamations, in 2001, 2003 and 2005, respectively. A total of 90 Works,
17 of which were submitted by 13 Member States from Latin America and the Caribbean. .
On the other hand, UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean has implemented a number of actions in the field of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Among the most important are:
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Publication of Oralidad
since 1988, a magazine devoted to the promotion and safeguarding of the oral tradition as a means for passing on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the region. |
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Support since 1983 to eight Member States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic, and one Associate Member, Aruba, in inventorying their intangible cultural heritage. These studies concluded in 2004 and are being validated by the communities. Final results will be published soon.
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I Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Culture, held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in October 2004, organized jointly by PARLATINO and UNESCO. Important and productive debates took place on the significance of including Intangible Cultural Heritage in the cultural policies of the region. The Final Declaration of the Conference called upon all Member States to ratify the Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. |
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Participation in the Constitutional Meeting of the National Cuban Commission for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and sponsoring two national workshops on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage. |
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Mr. Frédéric Vacheron, Programme specialist of Culture of the Regional Office participated actively in the First National Meeting on Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Medellín, Colombia, on 5 to 7 September 2005. Specialists, scholars, cultural managers and promoters from the country as well as international experts participated in the Meeting. Within the framework of the Panel Recognizing Intangible Cultural Heritage, Mr. Vacheron addressed the lecture “The Convention on the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage"(Introduction
and Presentation).
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Cooperation with Cuban authorities in drafting projects aimed at strengthening the Tumba Francesa de la Caridad de Oriente and with Dominican authorities with regards to the Cultural Space Brotherhood of the Espíritu Santo de los Congos de Villa Mella, Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. |
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Organization of the Regional Meeting “New Approaches on Cultural Diversity: The Role of Communities” held in Havana, Cuba, on 7 to 10 February 2006. |
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Sponsorship to the VII Meeting for the Promotion and Diffusion of Intangible Heritage of the Ibero-American countries devoted to: Intangible heritage – Management for Cultural Diversity, to be held in Caracas, Venezuela, on 17 to 22 October 2006. The event will also include a Workshop on Culture and Biodiversity in the Amazon Region, in which the results of the regional meeting “New Approaches on Cultural Diversity: role of communities” will be explained, the book Lenguas y Tradiciones Orales de la Amazonía ¿Diversidad en peligro? (Languages and Oral Traditions in the Amazon, Diversity in Danger?) and Oralidad No. 14, devoted to the indigenous roots, with a special dossier on the languages in the Amazon region. |
UNESCO places a special interest in assisting Member States to define and draft national regulations for the promotion and recognition of Intangible Heritage. Many of the initiatives developed in this field contributed to the drafting and approval in October 2003 of the Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which entered into force on 20 April 2006, three months after the date of deposit of the thirtieth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession
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States Parties
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More information on the Convention
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Traditional and Popular Festivities |
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Webpage on Intangible Heritage
UNESCO Sector of Culture |
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Brochure of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity |
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Newsletters UNESCO’s Messenger on Intangible Heritage |
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