UNESCO reveals its new Intangible Cultural Heritage listings for 2023

From a traditional Polish dance and Italian opera singing, to Uzbekistani ceramics and Paraguayan poncho making, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) officials have revealed the cultural practices that have made their 2023 Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.

The organisation – best known for its World Heritage Sites – also work to safeguard the living traditions that exist across the world today.

Established twenty years ago in 2003, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was created to protect the heritage in social practices, rituals, festive events and craftsmanship.

The committee gathered in Kasane, Botswana from the 4-8 December 2023, where they examined the nominations and added 55 cultural practices to its list. 

Thailand’s water-fuelled new year festival called Songkran made the cut, along with the colourful Junkanoo celebrations that take place in The Bahamas.

Many craftmaking skills have also joined the list, from glassmaking production in countries such as Czechia, Finland and France, to Filipino handloom weaving using the fibres of pineapple leaves. 

But perhaps one of 2023’s most notable entries is the practice opera singing in Italy, a dramatic vocal performance which dates back hundreds of years.

Meanwhile one of the most unexpected additions is the skills and knowledge of midwifery, recognised in countries ranging from Cyprus to Nigeria.

See the full UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list for 2023 (as of 4pm 7 December 2023)

List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

Ancestral and traditional techniques for the elaboration of the 'Poncho Para'i de 60 Listas', from the city of Piribebuy, Paraguay

Ingoma Ya Mapiko, Mozambique

Mek Mulung, Malaysia

Traditional knowledge, methods and practices concerning olive cultivation, Türkiye

Traditional Syrian glassblowing, Syrian Arab Republic

Xeedho, Djibouti

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Aklan piña handloom weaving, Philippines

Al-Man’ouché, an emblematic culinary practice in Lebanon, Lebanon

Alpine pasture season, Switzerland

Art of Akhal-Teke horse breeding and traditions of horses' decoration, Turkmenistan

Art of illumination: Təzhib/Tazhib/Zarhalkori/Tezhip/Naqqoshlik Azerbaijan – Iran (Islamic Republic of) – Tajikistan – Türkiye – Uzbekistan

Arts, skills and practices associated with engraving on metals (gold, silver and copper), Iraq/Algeria/ Egypt/Mauritania/Morocco/Palestine/Saudi Arabia/Sudan/Tunisia/Yemen

Bolero: identity, emotion and poetry turned into song, Cuba/Mexico

Ceramic arts in Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan

Ch'utillos, the Festival of San Bartolomé and San Ignacio de Loyola, the meeting of cultures in Potosí, Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

Craftsmanship and performing art of balaban/mey, Azerbaijan/Türkiye

Craftsmanship of mother of pearl inlay, Azerbaijan/Türkiye

Dabkeh, traditional dance in Palestine, Palestine

Elechek, Kyrgyz female headwear: traditional knowledge and rituals, Kyrgyzstan

Garba of Gujarat, India

Harees dish: know-how, skills and practices, United Arab Emirates/Oman/Saudi Arabia

Hiragasy, a performing art of the Central Highlands of Madagascar, Madagascar

Iftar/Eftari/Iftar/Iftor and its socio-cultural traditions, Azerbaijan/Iran (Islamic Republic of)/Türkiye/Uzbekistan

Jamu wellness culture, Indonesia

Junkanoo, Bahamas

Knowledge, craft and skills of handmade glass production, Czechia/Finland/France/Germany/Hungary/Spain

Mahadra, a community system for transmission of traditional knowledge and oral expressions, Mauritania

Malhun, a popular poetic and musical art, Morocco

Maltese Village Festa, an annual community celebration, Malta

Midwifery: knowledge, skills and practices, Colombia/Cyprus/Germany/Kyrgyzstan/Luxembourg/Nigeria/Slovenia/Togo

Nguon, rituals of governance and associated expressions in the Bamoun community, Cameroon

Polonaise, traditional Polish dance, Poland

Practices and meanings associated with the preparation and consumption of ceviche, an expression of Peruvian traditional cuisine, Peru

Procession and celebrations of Prophet Mohammed's birthday in Sudan, Sudan

Rickshaws and rickshaw painting in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Rotterdam Summer Carnival, Netherlands

Sadeh/Sada celebration, Iran (Islamic Republic of)/Tajikistan

Sango Festival, Oyo, Nigeria

Shuwalid festival, Ethiopia

Sodai straw garden making in Lithuania, Lithuania

Sona, drawings and geometric figures on sand, Angola

Songkran in Thailand, traditional Thai New Year festival, Thailand

The practice of opera singing in Italy, Italy

Tradition of blacksmithing in Gyumri, Armenia

Traditional craft of Naga motif weaving in Lao communities, Lao People's Democratic Republic

Traditional craft skills and arts of Al-Mudhif building, Iraq

Traditional irrigation: knowledge, technique, and organization, Austria/Belgium/Germany/Italy/Luxembourg/Netherlands/Switzerland

Traditional knowledge and skills of production of the atlas and adras fabrics, Tajikistan

Traditional skills of loincloth weaving in Côte d’Ivoire, Côte d'Ivoire

Traditional wooden boatbuilding in Carriacou and Petite Martinique, Grenada

Transhumance, the seasonal droving of livestock, Albania/Andorra/Austria/Croatia/France/Greece/Italy/Luxembourg/Romania/Spain

Register of Good Safeguarding Practices

ICH safeguarding practices program for the cultural and ecologic Sea Turtle Festival of Armila, Panama

Nyckelharpa network, an innovative dissemination of a music and instrument-building tradition with roots in Sweden, Sweden 

Program for the safeguarding of the Bandos and Parrandas of the Holy Innocents of Caucagua: nuclei of initiation and transmission of wisdoms and community councils, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)          

Safeguarding foster care heritage in the merciful city of Geel: a community-based care model, Belgium