Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention

Baul Singer (West Bengal, India), ©Banglanatak.com

Music, dance, theatre, story-telling, or rituals and festive events, handicrafts making and traditional knowledge on medicine, house making, farming and water irrigation.  South-Asia is replete with intangible cultural heritage that betray peoples ingenuity nurtured over several generations.  Such traditional expressions and wisdom are not only the source of enjoyment but are also contributing to sustainable living and well-being of many communities. 

UNESCO New Delhi Culture Sector encourages the countries in South Asia to develop a suitable policy and strategy to transmit their rich traditional expressions to the future generation through the implementation of UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.  

The Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention in South Asia:

  • India ratified the Convention in 2005 and has 11 elements in the Representative List. It is a member of the ICH Committee since 2014 for a duration of 4 years.
  • Bhutan ratified the Convention in 2005 and has 1 element in the Representative List.
  • Sri Lanka is Member State to the Convention since 2008.
  • Maldives has not yet ratified the Convention.

                                                                                (Data as of July 2015)

News on our Activities

Related Links

Publications

 

 

Back to top