The call for the National Inventory of Living Heritage has been opened
In Finland, the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was ratified in spring 2013. Finland began implementing the Convention, led by the National Board of Antiquities, for example with an open Wiki-inventory that encourages participation.
Since February 2016, submissions of intangible cultural heritage have been collected in the Wiki-inventory for Living Heritage. More than 100 communities have submitted their traditions to the Wiki and it already contains over 80 elements in five different languages. Now Finland has reached a phase in the multi-step implementation of the Convention where the application period for the National Inventory of Living Heritage has begun.
Compiling the Wiki-inventory for Living Heritage has shown that a vast number of people practise and safeguard their living traditions in our country. Submissions for the Wiki-inventory from various domains have been received from all over Finland. Traditions can relate, for example, to performing arts, music and dance, oral tradition, cuisine, crafts, games or nature. The inventory already contains e.g. ghost stories, circus culture, everyman’s right, stick horse hobby, rag rug weaving and the Roma song tradition.
The National Inventory of Living Heritage
The next step in the implementation of the UNESCO 2003 Convention in Finland is the National Inventory of Living Heritage. Communities, associations or groups of private individuals that participate in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and practice traditions can propose elements that are already in the Wiki-inventory. Action, practice and transmitting the tradition from people to people must be at the centre of the proposals. Good practices will only be collected in the Wiki-inventory for Living Heritage.
The National Inventory will make the work of those practising intangible cultural heritage visible and can strengthen the respect for these traditions. The Ministry of Education and Culture decides which elements will be entered into the National Inventory, based on a proposal by the National Board of Antiquities and the Expert group on intangible cultural heritage. Also communities and NGO’s in different domains of ICH will be evaluating the proposals.
Elements listed in the National Inventory can be nominated for inscription on UNESCO's international lists of intangible cultural heritage. Also the decisions on which elements are to be nominated for inscription are made by the Ministry of Education and Culture, based on the proposal by the National Board of Antiquities and the Expert group on intangible cultural heritage.
The application period for the National Inventory of Living Heritage will end on 30 April 2017. The next opportunity to apply for the National Inventory will earliest be in 2019.
Application for the National Inventory of Living Heritage
The application must be made using the form.
Wiki-inventory for living heritage
For more information, please contact
- Leena Marsio, Coordinator of Intangible Heritage, the National Board of Antiquities, leena.marsio(at)museovirasto.fi, tel. +358 (0)295 33 6017
- Mirva Mattila, Senior Inspector, the Ministry of Education and Culture, mirva.mattila(at)minedu.fi, tel. +358 (0)295 33 0269
