UNESCO Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage
In 2024 the UK ratified the UNESCO Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage (2003). This convention will give Communities the opportunity to nominate for inclusion in a register current practices and traditions that are central to their culture and heritage (ICH). There has been some mention of the convention in the national press but it has been limited. The process for communities across the UK to submit an Expression of Interest opened in December 2025 and the full submission process opened in January 2026. This round of applications closes at the end of March 2026. There will be opportunities to apply in future years. Registering an ICH will not at present open any doors for additional funding, but should help safeguard cultural heritage.
The ICH must be currently practised and at this stage of implementing the convention the plan is to add to the register an individual entry for traditions where multiple communities follow that tradition, subsequently creating records of local practitioners. Communities are encourage to either
- Submit an Expression of Interest where the ICH is unique to that community.
- Or submit an Expression of Interest and then work together with other communities with a similar tradition to submit one application,
- Or where there is a national body that body is expected to submit the application.
All of the information on the purpose of the register of living heritage and how to apply can be found on their website.
Part of the process of application is undertaking and recording the outcome of consulting the community. This website was used by all community organisations in the Brechfa Forest and Llanllwni Mountain area for community level consultations during the first phase of the Cambrian Mountain Initiative. Given the short timescales, if any community organisation wishes be involved in submitting an application to register an ICH and doesn’t have a website we can host the consultation for them. Use the contact us page on the tourism cluster groups website to reach us for help.