ICOMOS International Charter and Guidance on Sites with Intangible Cultural Heritage

ICOMOS the non-governmental international organisation dedicated to the conservation of the world’s monuments and sites, has announced the adoption of the ICOMOS International Charter and Guidance on Sites with Intangible Cultural Heritage, which was approved at its recent Annual General Assembly in November 2024 in Brazil. This milestone marks the culmination of several years of dedicated work by the ICOMOS International Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICICH).

The ICOMOS International Charter and Guidance on Sites with Intangible Cultural Heritage aligns with the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, for which ICOMOS is an accredited NGO, emphasising the importance of intangible cultural heritage as a key aspect of the collective culture and experience of humanity. The tangible and intangible are inextricably linked. Traditional, social and cultural practices, along with the knowledge passed down through generations, provide understanding and add meaning, value, and context to objects, sites and other physical spaces.

Within the international conservation framework established by ICOMOS, the International Charter and Guidance on Sites with Intangible Cultural Heritage addresses the deep relationships between the different aspects of heritage and the communities that sustain them. It provides principles and guidance for professional heritage practices, including the management and protection of sites, documentation and recording, sharing and transmission, presentation and interpretation, managing change and conflict, and professional training in heritage – all in permanent collaboration with stakeholders and community custodians.

Click here to download the Charter.