The 42nd session of the General Conference of UNESCO in November 2023 proclaimed 17 October as the International Day of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Objectives The celebration and associated activities of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage aim to Safeguard the intangible cultural heritage Ensure respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned Raise awareness at the local, national and international levels of the importance of the intangible cultural heritage, and of ensuring mutual appreciation thereof Provide for international cooperation and assistance. Cultural heritage From cherished historic monuments and museums to living heritage practices and contemporary art forms, culture enriches our lives in countless ways and helps build inclusive, innovative and resilient communities. Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts. Protecting and safeguarding the world’s cultural and natural heritage and supporting creativity and dynamic cultural sectors are fundamental to addressing the challenges of our time, from climate change to poverty, inequality, the digital divide and ever more complex emergencies and conflicts. Intangible cultural heritage The “intangible cultural heritage” means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. The “intangible cultural heritage” is manifested inter alia in the following domains: oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage performing arts social practices, rituals and festive events knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe traditional craftsmanship UNESCO IHS in India India has 16 intangible cultural heritage elements on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Humanity. Source : UNESCO