Image: Castle Rock, Edinburgh (Chris Flexen/ Unsplash)
Communities across the UK will soon be able to nominate valued traditions for official recognition following ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for cultural heritage
The UK government has announced that nominations will open this summer for traditions like Notting Hill Carnival, Hogmanay and artisanal crafts to be officially recognised in a new nationwide inventory of living heritage.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) published its response to a public consultation that sought views on ensuring the inventory encompasses the broad spectrum of traditions practised throughout the UK.
The government, together with devolved administrations, will create inventories across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland following the UK’s ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage last year.
Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross said: “The UK is rich with wonderful traditions, from Gloucestershire’s cheese rolling to folk music and dancing and the many heritage crafts that we practice, such as tartan weaving and carving Welsh love spoons. I would encourage everyone to think about what traditions they value so that we can continue to celebrate them, tell our national story to the rest of the world and safeguard the traditions that make us who we are.”
The inventory aims to start a national conversation about valued crafts, customs and celebrations while raising awareness to help protect them for future generations.
The DCMS consultation, which ran from January to February 2024, included 16 roundtables with grassroots organisations, non-governmental organisations, museums and academics as well as government representatives from across the UK.
Following this engagement, nominations will be accepted under seven categories: oral expressions; performing arts; social practices; nature, land and spirituality; crafts; sports and games; and culinary practices.
The UK ratified the UNESCO Convention on 7 March 2024, with the Convention officially coming into force on 7 June 2024. Further information about nomination procedures, including gaining support and consent from communities, will be available when submissions open later this year.
