The UNESCO Convention
Supplementary to the World Heritage Convention, the UNESCO General Conference adopted the Convention for the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2003. This Convention concentrates on our living heritage and is
designed to create the social and political framework required to protect our heritage of everyday knowledge and
practices, thus fostering an appreciation of cultural diversity.
The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage entered into force in April 2006. So
far more than 110
countries have ratified the 2003 Convention. On 8 April 2008, Austria deposited with the Director-General
its instrument of ratification of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. In
accordance with the terms of Article 34, Austria will become a member state to the Convention on 1 July 2009.
The National Agency for the Intangible Cultural Heritage
was established within the Austrian Commission for UNESCO in Vienna on 1 January 2006 (January 1st, 2006) for the
purpose of accompanying the ratification process and providing a platform for information and communication.
Curing utensils © Anita Buchart Read the original English text of the
Convention Calendar of events | 
