Peoples around the world celebrate the 2026 International Day of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
17 October 2026, the third edition of the International Day of the Intangible Cultural Heritage celebrates the peoples, who practise, transmit and recreate living heritage every day.
Proclaimed by UNESCO’s General Conference at its 42nd session in 2023, the Day provides a global occasion to showcase the diversity and richness of living heritage and to raise awareness of the importance of its safeguarding. Around the world, communities, heritage bearers and practitioners are joining cultural and educational institutions to mark the occasion. States Parties to the 2003 Convention, Category 2 centres under the auspices of UNESCO, UNESCO Chairs, and accredited non-governmental organisations all contribute to this mobilisation.
Learning through practice and exchanges between generations are common threads running through many of the activities submitted this year.
On the River Ebro in Spain, a canoe trip invites children and young people to discover timber rafting alongside those who help sustain this practice. Educational settings also offer opportunities to experience living heritage. Students and lecturers at Bondolfi Teachers College in Zimbabwe brought together mbira and marimba performances, traditional foodways and clothing in a cultural exhibition. Hands-on learning takes another form in Poznań, Poland, where a workshop invites participants to explore embroidery techniques used in the traditional women’s costumes of the Bamberg community and create their own embroidered motif.
Traditional dance performances and gatherings of folk groups in Santa Catarina, Brazil, bring communities together to share their practices. In Uzbekistan, a seminar explores the transmission of knowledge related to nature, particularly water management and agriculture. A subregional forum in Oman examines how visual arts and institutional partnerships can contribute to these efforts.
More than 100 activities are featured on the dedicated webpage. Through this global online campaign, UNESCO enhances the visibility of local initiatives and highlights the central role communities play in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. These activities contribute to raising public awareness, promoting the transmission of knowledge and skills, and encouraging broader participation in safeguarding efforts.
OCD | 17 October 2026
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