UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage



Intangible Cultural Heritage is a UNESCO program initiated in 2001 to recognise and protect various cultures and practices that, unlike items on the UNESCO World Heritage List, cannot be touched.

Intangible cultural heritage includes song, music, drama, skills, crafts, and the other parts of culture that can be recorded but cannot be touched and interacted with, without a vehicle for the culture. These cultural vehicles are called "Human Treasures" by the UN.

UNESCO divides the list into three different categories:
 * The representative list comprises cultural "practices and expressions that help demonstrate the diversity of this heritage and raise awareness about its importance."
 * The safeguarding list is composed of cultural elements that are threatened and in need of urgent measures to keep them alive.
 * The best practice list is comprised of the best examples by communities and governments of the protection and recognition of intangible cultural heritage.