Intangible Cultural Heritage

 Intangible Cultural Heritage

The main idea in the article was to provide the reader about the way that the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) has taken action to put in place safeguards to protect Intangible Cultural Heritage. This is needed to preserve intangible culture for future generations, according to the author Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO.

The most significant thing that I learned from the article was that I had no idea that this was ever happening. Along with this publication series, and with the UNESCO’s intangible heritage website, these two platforms will be the way that they communicate their information to the widest possible public about all aspects of living heritage. For more background information about this article, the UNESCO was founded in 1945. It is an agency under the United Nations. The UNESCO works as a laboratory of ideas, setting standards on agreements and issues. The UNESCO also serves as a “clearing-house” for the spreading and sharing of information and knowledge. The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is one of seven Conventions in the field of culture. The Convention has four main goals: First, to safeguard intangible cultural heritage. Secondly, to ensure respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups, and individuals concerned. Thirdly, to raise awareness and appreciation of the importance of the intangible cultural heritage at local, national, and international levels. Finally, to provide for international cooperation and assistance. The Convention has created five criteria that must be satisfied in order for the “element” to be nominated for the Representative List. The five criteria are: 

“Criterion: The element constitutes intangible cultural heritage as defined in Article 22 of the Convention. Criterion 2: Inscription of the element will contribute to ensuring visibility and awareness of the significance of the intangible cultural heritage and to encouraging dialogue, thus reflecting cultural diversity worldwide and testifying to human creativity. Criterion 3: Safeguarding measures are elaborated that may protect and promote the element. Criterion 4:The element has been nominated following the widest possible participation of the community, group or, if applicable, individuals concerned and with their free, prior and informed consent. Criterion 5: The element is included in an inventory of the intangible cultural heritage present in the territory(ies) of the submitting State(s) Party(ies), as defined in Article 113 and Article 124.”

This article/content makes me think that I would like to add all of these 76 intangible cultural heritage elements to my bucket list to see in person! If I were able to only witness a few that it would give me a very different view of the world and culture. These elements would definitely be a great added piece of conversation that could be written about in a travel post/writing. Here is a great example of one of these intangible cultural heritage elements: Chinese calligraphy. The art of Chinese calligraphy is recognized by its practitioners as a symbol of their identity and is passed on from generation to generation. Chinese calligraphy gives a visible image of diversity and creativity, expressed in the richness of the symbols used in Chinese calligraphy. There are 75 more great intangible cultural heritage elements to view in this article!