14 Intangible Cultural Heritage List of UNESCO from India| Updated 2022 | UPSC

What is Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)?

• The ICH is representation, practice, knowledge, expression of skills. It involves non-physical intellectual property such as beliefs, folklore, traditions, customs and language.
• UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage
  • The list was established in 2008 when Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage came into effect.
  • It includes important intangible cultural heritages worldwide.
  • It has two parts viz. Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of urgent Safeguarding.
• For inclusion of an element in the UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the state parties are required to submit nomination dossier on the relevant element for evaluation and examination of the UNESCO Committee.
• The Ministry of Culture has appointed the Sangeet Natak Akademi, an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Culture, as nodal office for matters relating to the intangible cultural heritage including for preparation of the nomination dossiers for the Representative List of UNESCO.

Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

India now has 14 intangible cultural heritage elements on the UNESCO list.

UNESCO

• UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture.
• UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
• It has 193 Members and 11 Associate Members. 
• India joined UNESCO in 1946.
• It is headquartered in Paris, France.

Other Initiatives of UNESCO:

• Man and Biosphere Programme:
  • Biosphere Reserves focus on the harmonised management of biological and cultural diversity.
  • Out of 18 notified biosphere reserves, India has 12 biosphere reserves under the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR), the latest one included is Panna Biosphere Reserve.
• World Heritage Programme:
  • World Heritage Sites promote the conservation of natural and cultural sites of outstanding universal value.
  • India has 40 world heritage sites, including 32 cultural properties, 7 natural properties and 1 mixed site. The latest one included is Jaipur city, Rajasthan.
• UNESCO Global Geopark Network:
  • UNESCO Global Geoparks give international recognition for sites that promote the importance and significance of protecting the Earth’s geodiversity through actively engaging with the local communities.
  • India does not have any UNESCO Global geopark.
• UNESCO’s Network of Creative Cities:
  • The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.
  • The Network covers seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts, Film, Design, Gastronomy, Literature and Music.
  • There are five Indian cities in UCCN as follows:
    • Srinagar – Crafts and Folk Arts (2021)
    • Mumbai – Film (2019).
    • Hyderabad – Gastronomy (2019).
    • Chennai- Creative city of Music (2017).
    • Jaipur- Crafts and Folk Arts (2015).
    • Varanasi- Creative city of Music (2015).

Also refer :

• Download the pdf of Important MCQs From the History Of Ancient India
• List Of Important Inscriptions In India
• Know About The Classical Languages Of India.
• Know About Classical Dances Of India.
• Know All About World Heritage Sites In India.