INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

Safeguarding plans are the tool to ensure the continuity of ICH. “Safeguarding” includes the identification, documentation, research, preservation, protection, promotion, enhancement, transmission and revitalisation of this heritage.
We also carry out specific studies on the different safeguarding aspects.

We organize diffusion activities and lectures on cultural heritage and the UNESCO.
We develop materials for the diffusion and outreach of intangible cultural heritage elements.
We participate in national and international conferences to communicate the ICH safeguarding actions carried out in Catalonia.

The identification of intangible cultural heritage by means of inventories is the first essential step for the safeguarding. Members of IPACIM coordinated and carried out the field work for the inventory of ICH at the Montseny, the very first in Catalonia, acknowledged as best practice by UNESCO.

The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage includes three lists: the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and the Register of Best Safeguarding Practices. Our experts have been directly involved in several nominations to these lists.

Cultural heritage is increasingly present in the sustainable development strategies, including tourism. This concerns specially ICH as a living, people involving heritage.
IPACIM experts organized the International Conference on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development (Barcelona, 2012), carried out a study on the contribution of ICH to sustainable development at the Montseny Biosphere Reserve and took part at the “Expert Meeting on safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development at the national level” organized by UNESCO (Istanbul, 2014).

The large international experience of our members, who regularly attend the meetings of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, ensures the best advice concerning intangible cultural heritage, from general policies to specific study, promotion, education and other actions.
We also advise on other UNESCO acknowledgements such as creative cities network or Memory of the World.