UNESCO Intangible Heritage: 67 New Inscriptions

The UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, meeting in New Delhi (India) from 8 to 13 December, inscribed 67 new elements on the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage, at the initiative of 77 countries.

India_© AK Films & Sangeet Natak Akedmi

Over the course of the week, the 24 Member States of the Committee examined 67 living heritage elements, including:

11 elements on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

53 elements on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;

1 programmes on the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Furthermore, in response to the positive impact of the safeguarding measures put in place since their inscription, 2 elements have also  been transferred from the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need  of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List of the Intangible  Cultural Heritage of Humanity and their corresponding safeguarding  programmes have been added to the Register of Good Safeguarding  Practices.

With this year’s inscriptions, 849 cultural practices in 157 countries are now part of UNESCO's living heritage Lists.

The new 2025 inscriptions in East Asia

China

Hezhen Yimakan storytelling 

When the element was first inscribed, only five  storytellers were still capable of performing certain Yimakan cantos,  and the traditional practices associated with the Hezhen oral narratives  faced several threats. This programme has engaged families,  communities, schools, local authorities and the State in safeguarding  the custom. Its integration into schools has sparked increased interest  among younger generations while promoting the transmission of the Hezhen  language. The programme’s strong focus on gender has also resulted in  an increase in women’s participation.

Japan

Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan 

The conservation and transmission of wooden  architecture consists in a set of traditional skills, techniques and  knowledge to build new wooden structures and restore existing ones. This  includes skills such as plastering, the cultivation and harvesting of  raw materials, lacquer painting of traditional structures, and many  more. Initially, master craftspeople transmitted the related knowledge  and skills by training apprentices as their successors. However, with  modernization, this process became more difficult. As a result,  preservation associations were formed to safeguard the element.

Japan

Washi, craftsmanship of traditional Japanese hand-made paper 

Washi craftsmanship refers to the traditional  practice of making paper by hand using the fibres of the paper mulberry  plant. The fibres are first separated, then soaked in clear river water  to thicken before being filtered through a bamboo screen. This  traditional, hand-made paper is used not only for letter writing, books  and documents, but also for home interiors, such as to make paper  screens, room dividers and sliding doors. Most of the inhabitants of the  practising communities contribute to the process, undertaking roles  ranging from the cultivation and harvesting of the mulberry plant to the  creation of new Washi products to promote the craft both domestically  and abroad.

Japan

Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan 

Yama, Hoko and Yatai float festivals are held  annually in various regions to pray to the gods for peace and protection  from natural disasters. A traditional practice that showcases the  diversity of local cultures, the festivals involve the collaborative  efforts of the practising communities and are a key aspect of their  cultural identity. People of all ages and genders share responsibility  for the organization and running of the festivals. This includes every  step, from the design and construction of the floats to the overall  event coordination. 

Fragile yet essential, living heritage remains a pillar of cultural diversity in a world that can at times feel fragmented and divided. Living, creative, and carried by communities, it reminds us of what binds us together. Let us keep alive the hope that unite us: to share knowledge, strengthen connections, and build bridges across borders.

—— Khaled El-Enany,

UNESCO Director-General

Increased commitment by States to living heritage 

With  over 1400 participants, this session of the Committee was the largest  to date, reflecting the growing importance attached to the safeguarding  of intangible cultural heritage.

Among  the elements presented this year, 9 were multinational inscriptions  submitted by 28 countries. This 2025 session also marked the first  inscription for 7 countries: Barbados, Chad, the Comoros, El Salvador, Gabon, Libya, and Sao Tome and Principe.

These  inscriptions reflect the growing role of the Convention in  strengthening dialogue and cooperation between States, as well as their  shared ambition to promote the safeguarding of living heritage.

Africa's continuous commitment was confirmed at this session with the inscription of 9 elements by 13 countries.

Intangible cultural heritage a source of sustainable livelihoods

A  key theme that emerged from the nominations examined during the 2025  session of the Intergovernmental Committee was the 'practice by hand’ highlighting traditional craftmanship. Elements such as musical instruments, crafts, foodways and  performing arts rooted in precise gestures, technical knowledge passed  down through generations and deeply embedded cultural meanings, are far  more than artisanal techniques. 

For  some communities, they represent a source of sustainable livelihoods.  Crucially, they demonstrate that intangible cultural heritage is not  only transmitted symbolically, but represents a source of income for the  bearers, echoing the thematic initiative developed on the economic  dimensions of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding.

The next meeting of the Committee will take place in December 2026 in Xiamen, China.