TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland) has been invited by the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to represent Scotland as part of the UK delegation at this year’s 19th UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee meeting on Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Paraguay (2nd-7th December 2024).
The UK ratified the 2003 UNESCO Convention on ICH on 7th March 2024, and it officially came into force on 7th June 2024. In the same year, TRACS received official international accreditation as a Non-Governmental-Organisation (NGO) Advisor to UNESCO on ICH, recognising their work and expertise in the field. TRACS and Museums Galleries Scotland are the only two organisations with UNESCO ICH NGO accreditation in Scotland. Both organisations, along with the England-based NGO Heritage Crafts, are joining the UK delegation to represent NGOs and the important role they play in implementing the Convention and safeguarding ICH in local communities around the world.
The 19th Intergovernmental Committee meeting is preceded by the annual ICH NGO Forum Symposium on 1 December 2024, which creates an opportunity to meet fellow accredited NGOs from across the globe. The ICH NGO Forum provides a space for sharing experiences on the participation of cultural and heritage communities, non-governmental groups and individuals in decisions and actions for safeguarding intangible heritage.
TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland), Chief Executive, Steve Byrne says:
“We are delighted to accept the invitation to join the UK delegation in this first year of our ratification of the Convention, which underpins TRACS’ work in helping to look after the local traditions that matter to communities across the country. We are looking forward to learning from likeminded organisations from all parts of the world on the approaches they have adopted, to help shape our own efforts in Scotland as we support our collective traditions into the future.”
DCMS will be publishing the results of its initial public consultation in January 2025, as well as the next milestones in the UK implementation of the UNESCO Convention on ICH, with an inclusive, community-led, ‘bottom up’ approach. TRACS will be liaising with DCMS to support efforts in raising awareness amongst ICH communities, practitioners, fieldworkers and networks to safeguard our living traditions and local heritage.
Intangible Cultural Heritage is a tradition, practice, or living expression of a group or community. This can include oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, customs, festive events, and traditional crafts. Examples of ICH in Scotland are wide reaching and include practices such as Shetland’s Up Helly Aa Festival or the Glasgow Mela, cultural traditions such as bothy ballads, bagpiping, and clootie wells, traditional games such as shinty, the making of food such as haggis, and traditional crafts such as thatching and Fair Isle knitting.
TRACS has put together a Wee Guide on ICH, to start a public campaign in raising awareness around ICH and its importance. Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the 2003 UNESCO Convention on ICH and TRACS Chief Executive Steve Byrne, together with Traditional Music Forum Director David Francis, wrote and performed a special celebratory song, offering a flavour of what we mean by “Intangible Cultural Heritage”.
The ICH Scotland Partnership is a collaboration between Museums Galleries Scotland, Creative Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, and TRACS (Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland). Since 2020, the partnership has produced a report mapping the current state of ICH in Scotland and has produced events helping communities to engage with and share their own ICH, while encouraging the ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage alongside the Scottish Government. In May 2023 and November 2024, the ICH Scotland Partnership hosted the first national ICH conference at Birnam Arts, featuring keynote speakers in the field, offering a day of discussion, sharing, and coming together.
