The paper presents Carpathian transhumance as a case study of Romania’s living pastoral traditions. Practiced since the Middle Ages, this seasonal movement of sheep shaped local economies, landscapes, and cultural expressions, from rituals to ecological knowledge. Today, it faces challenges from demographic decline, land fragmentation, and regulations, yet remains a marker of identity. The case study highlights both its vulnerability and the need for integrated safeguarding at national and European levels.
The paper presents the Traditional Romanian Music Band (Taraf) as a case study of intangible cultural heritage. Spread across all folkloric regions, these ensembles - typically composed of violin, contra, and double bass, sometimes enriched with instruments like cobza, dulcimer, zongora, taragot or accordion - play a central role in community life at weddings, village dances, and festivals. The study highlights the diversity of regional types, from Wallachia and Moldavia to Maramureș, Transylvania, Banat, and Dobrogea, showing how bands adapt their structure and repertoire to local traditions. Transmission is mainly familial, passed from one generation to the next, and remains open to influences across ethnic groups (Romanian, Hungarian, Roma, German, Slovak, Serbian). Today, despite challenges from urbanization and commercialization, safeguarding measures - festivals, archives, NGOs, and national legislation - seek to preserve the vitality and authenticity of these ensembles as a defining element of Romania’s living cultural heritage
This is a guide presenting the history and collections exhibited at the National Szekler Museum. The museum opened its doors in 1875, founded by Emilia Zathureczky, Cserey Janosne, and Gyula Vasady Nagy. The museum's headquarters were designed by architect Kos Karoly between 1911 and 1912. The museum's collections are divided into five major categories: books, natural sciences, archaeology, history, and ethnography.
The article presents a study of Saxon communities in southern Transylvania, examining the resilience of tangible and intangible heritage in shaping cultural landscapes. Drawing on 74 interviews across ten villages, it shows strong persistence of material heritage but a rapid decline of traditions and practices due to post - Cold War migration. The article concludes by highlighting the need for integrated management that addresses both physical and cultural dimensions of heritage.
The article addresses Romanian case studies, presenting three examples of how local intangible cultural heritage has been understood and managed by national and local authorities for community development after Romania’s ratification of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention. A major challenge identified in safeguarding such practices is linked to the modernization of daily life, resulting from increased living standards, combined with depopulation and the decline in the number of traditional performers. Following an introduction, the article analyzes three complementary practices: (1) the men’s group caroling, inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; (2) the Romanian wedding ritual uitoare, illustrated by the example of an elderly woman proposed as a Living Human Treasure; and (3) the endangered craft of Șișești pottery, supported by the local community. Each case study is described and analyzed based on field research conducted by the authors and archival resources from the West University of Timișoara. The study concludes with a synthesis of findings and is accompanied by a series of illustrative images.
The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage of 2003 has established a new, holistic approach to cultural heritage, as well as a new set of administrative and legal instruments and strategies for identifying, preserving, managing and promoting intangible cultural heritage. The policy of intangible culture entails the conceptualisation of the elements of intangible heritage in the national cultural policy framework. Administration strategies and methods are often confronted with scientific contextualisation and various policies of representation and identification. Thus, while articulating the idea of the growing importance of intangible cultural heritage, the national authorities increasingly construct the national inventories through processes of worldwide networking and positioning through symbolic meanings such as “national issues” and “national culture”. This paper presents a brief review of administrative and legal measures and policies concerning intangible cultural heritage of some selected countries.
Romania possesses a consistent heritage including cultural, historical and folkloric resources with a high potential for tourism valorization. Despite of this valuable heritage, the development of cultural tourism is still limited and more actions are needed to be undertaken for a better promotion and attraction of tourist flows in the most important cultural areas. Due to this potential and to recent massive operations of restoration and renovation of historical buildings, but also due to the improvement of services and education, Romania has succeeded to improve its supply for heritage tourism. In this paper we analyze the main issues related to the competitiveness of Romania as a cultural destination, we assess its place among other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, but also which were the recent developments on this topic. A detailed investigation has been performed regarding the main attractions and destinations for heritage tourism in Romania, including the cultural and intangible cultural heritage sites from Romania included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Our conclusions go to the actions necessary for improving Romania’ s place on the market of cultural and heritage tourism, such as: improvements in the infrastructure for increasing the accessibility of the most important destinations, a more focused vision and enhanced strategy for the development and management of tourist attractions, more efficient actions for internal and international promotion, the adoption of appropriate management and marketing tools to make these objectives known, especially to international tourists etc.
Community-based tourism has been promoted as a means of development whereby the social, environmental and economic needs of local communities are met through the offering of a tourism product. Local culture may be a community’s most valuable asset for tourism if planned and managed properly. Its intangible cultural heritage may provide a community with a competitive advantage and uniqueness, one that differentiates it from all other communities. However, with increasing commodification of tourism, many smaller rural communities face several challenges in developing community-based tourism. The present paper explores the concept of community-based tourism, as a basis for the valorization of intangible cultural heritage, with a special focus on a regional tourist destination in Romania. Aiming to identify tourists’ experience, a research was conducted among Japanese visitors who discovered the intangible cultural heritage of the studied area during an academic summer camp.
This article argues that researchers involved in cultural heritage preservation need to adopt an inclusive ethnographic research methodology that pays attention to how power, class and status shape communities. Based on field research in Ghimeş-Fǎget, Romania, it discusses the factors that influenced residents’ choice of ethnic identity and focuses on why the Hungarian identity was chosen as the most visible public representation of the town, when residents could have chosen from a variety of other identities. Local efforts to preserve culture, history and self ‘in one direction’ were shaped by the current socio-economic reality in Ghimeş. The article suggests that identity is informed by shifting power relations between ethnic groups and not simply by the more powerful ethnic group in the community. Finally, the article discusses why one recently proposed ‘culturally responsive research methodology’ could not support any kind of legitimate preservation agenda in Ghimeş-Fǎget or any other community.
This paper explores the role of social media platforms in promoting and preserving intangible heritage, a key element of local, regional, and national identity. Platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok enhance the visibility and appreciation of traditions, customs, and artistic expressions while encouraging their transmission to future generations. Through engaging and interactive content, we can capture the attention of young audiences and stimulate interest in local traditions and practices. The paper distinguishes between “intangible heritage,” which includes a wide range of community practices and traditions, and “intangible cultural heritage,” which refers explicitly to UNESCO-recognized heritage of universal value. In the digital age, adapting heritage promotion strategies to social media is crucial for engaging younger audiences. Given the cultural significance of intangible heritage and its growing role in promoting tourism, examining how it is conveyed through social networks is essential. This paper presents an exploratory case study of the Museum of Canvases and Stories in Mândra, Romania, focusing on using platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to promote intangible heritage, highlighting key strategies such as increasing visibility through multimedia content, stimulating participation with online contests and workshops, and preserving practices in digital formats. The case study aims to (i) identify the intangible heritage elements highlighted on social media and (ii) analyze the methods used by the museum to promote these elements across its social media channels employing a quantitative and thematic content analysis. The conclusion emphasizes that effectively leveraging social media is essential for preserving and transmitting intangible heritage and offers recommendations for maximizing its outreach and impact.
Despite the importance of fairs and festivals in promoting the Romanian intangible cultural heritage and their great support for the economy of our country, little research has been conducted in order to understand the behavior of the Romanian tourists regarding fairs and festivals attendance and their intention to travel in one location only to attend fairs or festivals. This article is based on the findings of a quantitative survey, conducted in 2016. The main objective of this study is to determine if the Romanians are interested in attending fairs and festivals, and if they are willing to travel for this purpose. The graphical representations have been created in Microsoft Office Excel by the authors
The paper presents an up-to-date view of entities of the cultural heritage sector and their relationships with other domains of human activity as well as the corresponding business models facilitated by modern information and communication technologies. The economic impact of the interactions established between various actors of the cultural economy landscape, such as cultural heritage institutions, digital “facilitators” and public, is described by using a cybernetic representation and a corresponding mathematical model. A particular emphasis is put on mobile technology-based approach to the cultural heritage sector and an example of a practical online virtual exhibition is provided.
The CulturEU Funding Guide is a practical guide developed by the European Commission to help cultural and creative organizations and professionals identify relevant European Union funding opportunities for the 2021–2027 period. It provides a clear overview of available EU programmes, funding schemes, and eligibility conditions.
The document is designed as an easy-to-use reference that helps users understand which EU funds best match their projects, how to apply for them, and what types of activities can be supported, covering a wide range of cultural and creative sectors.
If we understand marketing as a market orientation, and tourism as a sociological category, whose variability of movement becomes the basis for research, we turn to that segment of increasingly present visitors who expect not just a mere vacation from traveling and staying in an environment outside their home, but also the fulfillment of creative and cultural curiosity.
The quest for improved self-revenue generation and reduction of the financial burden on government prompted the adoption of public private partnership (PPP) in the management of South African National Parks (SANParks). Accordingly, this paper examined the revenue and conservation implication of PPP in SANParks.
This paper investigates the relationship between cultural heritage, tourism demand, and regional development in Croatia using a spatial econometrics approach.
Cultural heritage is of outmost importance and receives its special protection as stated in the Constitution of the Republic of Croatia. Current legislation (Act on the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Property) defines all categories and types of cultural heritage.
The author is presenting project of renovation and modernisation of the Ethnographic Museum, received funding due to the successful application to the call Preparation and Implementation of Integrative Development Programmes Based on Renovation of Cultural Heritage.
In addition to a theoretical review of the role of museums and other institutions, as well as media in recording, preservation and promotion of oral traditional culture, the paper provides a detailed description of projects “e-Scrapbook: Popularisation and Preservation of Traditional Culture of Bistra” and “e-Scrapbook 2: Field Research, Preservation and Popularisation of Traditional Culture of Bistra” of the Ecomuseum Bistra Association and similarities and differences between them.
The times are developing, science and technology are progressing, and intangible cultural
heritage is also developing. The digital display design of intangible cultural heritage is the product of the
times and plays an important role in the inheritance and development of intangible cultural heritage.
Relevant personnel should improve their thinking logic, reasonably use digital means to realize the
The perspective of humanistic psychology can effectively guide staff to grasp people’s
psychological laws and emotional changes in cultural inheritance in the process of intangible cultural
heritage, and then enrich the protection and application means of digital technology for intangible cultural
heritage, making the optimized protection path more humanistic value. Table 1 shows the statistics of
negative emotions of staff under different application protection paths.
So far little attention has been paid to the territorial aspects of cultural heritage, dispersion
patterns and clustering processes nor to the changes induced by tourism on the physical,
economic and social environment. S
Purpose – Food has entered commerce as an intangible cultural heritage (ICH) because
consumers want authentic food and memorable consumption experiences.
The article highlights selected relationships between the two currently best-known UNESCO heritage conventions, the 1972 World Heritage Convention and the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Although the latter was modelled on the former—with the important intermediate step of the UNESCO programme for Proclamation of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity (1998)—there are important differences between the conventions and the respective heritage regimes. The article examines in detail the delimitation of the subject areas of both conventions and the relationship between the key concepts of “outstanding” versus “representative”. Other aspects are also addressed in a condensed form, such as the question of the preservation concepts of both conventions and their implicit cultural geographies.
This article offers insights into the evolving awareness of the role of intangible cultural heritage in addressing contemporary and planetary challenges. It focuses on the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereinafter ‘the Convention’), a landmark UNESCO international standard-setting instrument that celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2023. It starts with examining the link between safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development in the text of the Convention and then highlights key achievements and milestones, that underscore the role of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage for sustainable development and the wellbeing of the communities, groups and individuals that create, practice and transmit their living heritage. It concludes by outlining future directions for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage for sustainable development and peace, drawing on reflections undertaken during the twentieth anniversary year of the Convention.
This case study discusses intangible heritage. The case study of the Greek island of Poros, may illustrate the presence of religious traditions and the role of volunteers -such as the Women’s cultural association Poriotissa-, associations that reinforce elements of intangible cultural heritage of the area. This may take place via the revival and the inclusion of traditions (for example, Vespers for a Saint’s name day) in the everyday life of people and visitors.
The case study of the area of Pieria, may illustrate the presence of religious traditions and the role of the church and monks, but also the inclusion and incorporation of traditions in the everyday life of the peoples community. These traditions may reinforce elements of intangible cultural heritage of the area and bring together communities from different countries along with intangible traditions and culture, providing the link of the Greek and the European cultural chain. This may take place via the revival and the inclusion of traditions in the everyday life of inhabitants and visitors, memory storytelling and safeguarding of common values. Beyond its natural beauty, Pieria’s strength is its diversity. Visitors can experience pilgrimage routes to sacred sites such as the Monasteries of Saint Dionysios, Saint Athanasios, etc., explore ancient Dion, enjoy seaside leisure, or engage in outdoor adventure and wellness activities on Olympus. This multidimensional identity allows us to attract different types of travelers throughout the year from pilgrims and hikers to cultural explorers and families.
The case study of the Greek island of Samos, highlights the famous wine making and the grape vines of the island as elements of intangible cultural heritage that continue the traditional way of cultivating wine in drystone areas all over the island and producing wine, procedures that have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 2022, the practice of Modern Dance in Germany was added to UNESCO’s International Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The following article traces the impulses and developments of this practice, emphasising its main characteristics and social functions. In addition, it examines the problems of reconciling the safeguarding of traditional knowledge with how to develop it creatively in the way dance traditions are practised today. Finally, there is an analysis of the current challenges and perspectives by a living heritage of the practice of Modern Dance.
The museum is the ideal partner institution for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH). It preserves, presents, and explains the relevant tools and equipment, as well as the respective items produced. At the same time, the museum can also make past epochs tangible through demonstrations and participative events which “re-enact” intangible cultural heritage. The idea of re-enactment was already part of the philosophy behind the first open-air museums that opened around the turn of the twentieth century. The museum is thus primarily a place for analogue experiences, just as the preservation of ICH is mostly an analogue activity, usually with no virtual substitute. This essay mostly draws on examples from the German-speaking world.
This paper looks at the transformative nature of intangible cultural heritage and its co-relation to the evolution of a community. In order to do so the paper looks at the caste labour of *Naga Kalam Pulluvan Pattu* which is a form of *Kalamezhuth Pattu* where *Kala* means art or picture and *mezuth* is the act of making, and *pattu* is to sing i.e. it is *the song of making art*. It is performed primarily by the Pulluva caste community. Although different regions of Kerala, where this ritual art practice is found often sees other caste groups associated to this practice. Naga Kalam Pulluvan Pattu is a negotiation with snakes of the region where it is mediated through the Pulluvas—at least that is the belief—that the snakes would not destroy crops or bite small children and this ritual will bring prosperity. In 2014, I first saw a performance of Nagakalam Pattu as part of a narrative called *Clear Enigma*directed by Eugenio Barba. Clear Enigma was to have only one performance to celebrate the 50 years anniversary of Odin Teatret at a small village in Denmark called Holstebro where the theatre is located. From what is known, the village of Holstebro is not infested by snakes! Although both ritual and theatre have often been seen as embodied and transformative, this paper looks at what happens to caste labour that is entrenched in belief and a community’s social being, when there is a transference of it as theatre.
This paper discusses the restoration of intangible cultural heritage after disasters and its interaction with local communities. We will focus on two case studies as elements of intangible cultural heritage in Fukushima Prefecture after the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in 2011. In this region, local communities were severely damaged by the radioactive disaster, and the restoration of intangible cultural heritage faced great difficulties. This study revealed that when local communities undergo changes due to disasters, their intangible cultural heritage is also forced to change.
Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is well-suited for designing bottom-up policies which are the prerequisites for successful structural change. First, the article provides definitions of transformation and structural change, including their success factors. Second, it provides examples of the beneficial role of culture and cultural heritage in such strategies, showing that cultural heritage has been either ignored as a promoter of structural change or was integrated in a top-down approach, which meant that its potential was not fully harnessed. Finally, the article shows how ICH fosters participation, intra- and intergenerational cooperation, regional networking, territorial intermediation, and how it may support the reinterpretation and revaluation of identities as necessary components of structural change.
Broadening the focus on cultural economies of ICH to include ways of caring for the future emphasises the uniqueness of living traditions and their limitations in becoming marketable assets. It highlights the reconsideration of valorisation as a means of care that facilitates the vibrancy and resilience of ICH through the interplay of its cultural, social and economic dimensions. From a broader perspective, the paper specifically addresses the non-monetary forms of resourcing for ICH of six UNESCO-listed cultural expressions, Blaudruck, Swabian-Alemannic Carnival, Poetry Slam, Batana Eco Museum, Fado Music and Falconry, which are hard to measure. Each is practised in a publicly visible, vibrant way and enjoys broad participation by diverse people. The resourcing of ICH through sharing and caring in networks, community-based resourcing and commoning, demonstrates the crucial role of cultural economies as modalities of care in maintaining the robustness and vibrancy of ICH.
This article focuses on the empirical measurement of the values generated by an intangible cultural heritage good in the territory that hosts it, understood as a set of positive externalities internalized by the territory and its inhabitants, both permanent and visitors.
The article identifies factors related to the local context that influence the valuation of a local, traditional and internationally recognized music festival.
Pacific island countries (PICs) are examples of some of the least developed nations in the world. To improve their economic performance they are being urged to enter various trade agreements and in general to put in place frameworks to support twenty-first century priorities and international agendas including intellectual property regimes based, primarily, on western models. Yet PICs have long-standing traditional ways of safeguarding ‘intellectual property’. Their traditional perceptions of this tangible and intangible cultural heritage are not always compatible with the models being proposed, both by their own governments and by external agencies with the consequence that initiatives to boost their small island economies may fail to take root among local communities or fail to recognize or protect the various forms of property and resources which are important to them and, in some cases, may have unforeseen adverse consequences. This paper uses examples from PICs to highlight the present failure of national and trans-national intellectual property regimes to adequately acknowledge the different approaches which indigenous people in the region have towards ‘intellectual property’ and consequences that this may have on their development in the current aid for trade environment.
Ceramic art festivals contribute significantly to the preservation and promotion of ceramic art, supporting the revival of local identities and traditions. Understanding the management strategies used by such festivals and imitating good practices, can ensure their success and long-term sustainability.
This study examines two different ceramic art festivals, the festival "Earth, Water, Fire" in Greece and the festival “Autour de la Terre II” in France, with the purpose to propose the best management practices for such festivals and suggest possible improvements. Semi-structured interviews with a representative of each festival, a SWOT analysis for each festival, as well as audience research with the help of a questionnaire for the "Earth, Water, Fire" festival, are the methodological tools employed in this study.
The presence of festivals in social media, as Facebook and Instagram, and the utilization of digital communication media in general, can help the development of ceramic art festivals. Additionally, the creation of a website and a newsletter, their promotion in the city’s cultural events calendars, the collaboration with influencers, bloggers and ceramists, are some of the means to project such festivals to a wider public. Implications for management and marketing use are further discussed.
This article presents the results of a survey on the use of digital avatars and agents in museums and places of cultural interest. The optimization of virtual agents in the cultural heritage domain is an interdisciplinary undertaking and this paper investigates pertinent research and solutions and suggests ways forward. The research questions examined relate to (a) the technological characteristics of cultural heritage-related uses of users’ avatars and virtual agents, and patterns that emerge, and (b) suggestions for future research based on this article’s findings. We reviewed relevant publications and analysed the approaches presented to identify trends and issues that could lead to conclusions on the existing state of the field and, moreover, infer and suggest future directions. The main findings relate to a trend toward onsite, sophisticated installations or applications with increasing investment in mixed reality. Moreover, emphasis shifts toward optimising agents such as virtual guides or companions, mediators of cultural content and engaging facilitators. Behavioural Realism (BR), featured mostly in virtual reality installations, greatly fosters engagement according to the reviewed research, and we conclude that mixed reality onsite applications, which are gathering pace, should reach their degree of sophistication and combine the strengths of both MR and BR.
Despite extensive research on technology-mediated visitor experiences, a holistic approach to the smart museum remains underexplored. This paper addresses the gap by examining the intersection of museums and digital technologies through a cultural lens, with a focus on their role in redefining the museum experience. The concept and profile of the 21st-century smart museum were shaped through a synthesis of findings from 143 scholarly and institutional publications, combining 118 research outputs (2012–2025) across seven technological categories —Extended Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Fusion, Blockchain, and general Digital Technologies— with a complementary body of theoretical works (1989–2025) that strengthen its conceptual and cultural foundations. From this synthesis, 15 key attributes emerged, outlining the ideal smart museum model. Anchored in theoretical and institutional frameworks, these attributes conceptualize the smart museum as a culturally embedded, technologically enhanced, and human-centered institution. The paper provides a conceptual framework and strategic guide for cultural managers, museum professionals, and designers developing smart museum practices in the digital era.
The article Digital Tourism: An Alternative View on Cultural Intangible Heritage and Sustainability in Tavira, Portugal examines how digitalisation of cultural routes and virtual storytelling can promote and preserve intangible cultural heritage, using the Mediterranean diet in Tavira as a case study. It focuses on developing virtual and augmented reality tools to enhance visitor experience, reinforce local identity, support tourism sustainability, and connect tourists with local heritage through digital platforms and interactive apps.
Rethinking Industrial Heritage Tourism Resources in the EU: A Spatial Perspective analyses the spatial distribution and influencing factors of industrial heritage tourism sites across Europe, using the European Route of Industrial Heritage as a case study. The article shows how natural conditions and socio-economic factors shape location patterns, and discusses implications for sustainable planning, heritage conservation, and tourism development within urban and regional contexts.
The article Digital Storytelling in Cultural and Heritage Tourism: A Review of Social Media Integration and Youth Engagement Frameworks reviews how digital storytelling can be integrated with social media to engage youth in cultural and heritage tourism. It identifies gaps in current frameworks and proposes an enhanced model with elements such as platform integration, multimedia engagement, community participation and cultural authenticity to support sustainable heritage tourism practices.
The article The Unknown Carnival of Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal): Community, Heritage, and Identity on Stage examines the unique carnival traditions of Terceira Island, showing how they involve widespread community participation, blend dance, music, and performance, and serve as cultural heritage that strengthens social cohesion and local identity. The study highlights the carnival’s distinctive features and its value for heritage preservation and tourism within a European folklore context.
Life in a World Heritage City (Johansson, 2015) critically maps and analyses how World Heritage status is debated and negotiated in Angra do Heroísmo (Azores, Portugal). Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and qualitative interviews, it examines how stakeholders mobilise contested values, interests, rhetoric, and power in everyday governance, conservation, and development. The thesis highlights the social processes and consequences of managing a lived-in World Heritage city.
The project’s Handbook on integration of intangible heritage aims to provide a comprehensive theoretical and practical framework for understanding, preserving, managing, and promoting intangible cultural heritage (ICH). it supports learners and practitioners in integrating ICH into tourism and community development in a responsible and sustainable way, while strengthening cultural identity & community involvement.
The case study of the Greek island of Agistri, may showcase traditional ways of life as elements of intangible cultural heritage that have become extinct in the passage of time or have been substituted by more modern ways or because of more advanced technologies.
TThe case study of the Greek island of Ikaria, highlights the significance of the festivities/ festivals (“panigyria”) because their performance is a supreme expression of the sense of belonging to the community and the solidarity of their members according to the decision of the Greek Ministry of Culture to include them in the Intangible Heritage List. Ikaria is also included in the world’s five Blue Zones where people live longer following a Mediterranean diet and cultivating their land producing their own products.
The case study of the Prefecture of Larissa, may illustrate the presence of intangible heritage through the inclusion and incorporation of traditions from the everyday life of the community people associated with enogastronomy and the production of local products. This well-known area for its fertile land, also depicts its everyday life in the abundance of its ethnographic museums that also incorporates intangible elements from the 400 years of the Ottoman Empire in Greece and the influences from the Balkans and Europe. In that way, it offers an abundant area of research where common European values are mixed.
The Thessalian Plain in the Periphery of Thessaly where the Prefecture of Larissa is located, has the main geographical feature in the Greek region of Thessaly. The plain was very fertile, and until the early 20th century the area was a breadbasket for Greece. The existence of the plain made Thessaly one of the few regions in Ancient Greece that could house a large number of cavalry. The Thessalian cavalry was an important part of the ancient Macedonian army of Philip II and Alexander the Great. Today, the Thessalian plain is mainly cultivated with wheat and cotton, while on a smaller scale corn, industrial tomatoes, watermelon, melon and other vegetables are also grown.
Cultivation of land and traditions such as harvesting that on the one hand, have been modernized, while on the other, form the community’s roots may reinforce elements of intangible cultural heritage of the area and bring communities together not only at local level, but also at peripheral, national and international level. Different countries associated with similar intangible traditions and cultural elements such as the way land was cultivated may provide the link in the Greek and the European cultural chain via memory storytelling and safeguarding of these common values.
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The case study of the Prefecture of Magnesia, may illustrate the significance of intangible heritage for the social bonding of the society but also the sustainable tourist development of the area through the inclusion and incorporation of legends and myths in people’s everyday life since the region of Magnesia is mentioned in some of the most important Greek myths well-known to the European countries. Pelion was inhabited by the Centaurs, horse-like beings who came from the union of Ixion and Nephele. A well-known Centaur in mythology was Chiron, who mediated the marriage of Peleus with Thetis, which took place in Pelion. During the marriage and because of the apple of discord, the Trojan War was caused. The Argonaut expedition, which is historically related to the beginning of the technical processing of gold in Greece, also began from Magnesia. The legend of centaurs have created pathways to mountain Pelion for alternative forms of tourism.
Centenarian plane trees in mountain Pelion were used according to legends for food storage. Traditions from the everyday life of the community people are associated with gastronomy and the production of local products. This well-known area for its fertile land, also depicts its everyday life in the abundance of its ethnographic museums. In that way, it offers an abundant area of research where common European values are mixed.
This video provides a brief overview of Module 3, focusing on how Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) is classified and organized. It introduces the main categories of ICH, with particular attention to the UNESCO framework and its criteria for identification and safeguarding. The video outlines both theoretical perspectives and practical examples, helping viewers understand how different forms of ICH are recognized, documented, and protected in practice.
This video briefly presents the main theoretical and practical aspects covered in Chapter 1 of the Handbook and in the three related case studies from the Manual. It provides an overview of Intangible Cultural Heritage, introducing key concepts, definitions, and institutional frameworks. The video highlights the role of Intangible Cultural Heritage in preserving cultural identity at local, national, and European levels, and offers basic insights into its social and cultural significance.
This presentation explores the Carnaval of Terceira Island in the Azores as an important form of intangible cultural heritage. It highlights community-based traditions such as bailinhos, their cultural significance, and the opportunities and challenges of integrating them into sustainable tourism.
This is a file that helps build a map of different Fado players who operate around the world and connect the places to Portuguese emigrant communities.
This introductory video presents the core concepts of Module 6, clarifying what constitutes Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), from oral traditions to craftsmanship. It situates ICH within sustainable tourism frameworks, explores its importance for destinations, and highlights the role of sustainability principles and UNESCO-aligned policies in responsible development, while introducing key stakeholders and value-creation dynamics.
This study explores the growing global focus on sustainability in museums and cultural institutions, examining how digital marketing can support both sustainability and cultural identity. It provides insights into best practices, strategies, and challenges faced by cultural organizations, offering recommendations for improving sustainability and digital marketing in the Greek cultural sector. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, including a literature review to establish the international context, an observational analysis of global leaders mainly focusing on the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Metropolitan Opera (the Met), and primary research through a 30-question survey answered by 26 Greek cultural institutions. The findings reveal that leading global cultural organizations effectively use digital strategies to promote sustainability, enhancing cultural identity, brand, and economic resilience while advancing environmental stewardship and social justice. Greek cultural organizations, primarily facing financial and technical constraints, struggle with strategic integration and digital marketing, with few exceptions. The study concludes that the benefits of sustainable digital marketing outweigh the challenges, as it can significantly enhance cultural values and drive sustainability across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. By adopting a deeper understanding of sustainability and a more strategic, holistic approach, Greek organizations can amplify their impact, strengthen their presence, and contribute to long-term sustainability goals.
The paper analyzes the integration of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) into higher education, focusing on challenges, opportunities, and effective strategies for overcoming barriers. It is part of a broad multicultural project that aims to integrate and better manage the national intangible heritage in order to raise awareness of European common values. Using qualitative and quantitative data from research that included interviews and focus groups from 61 experts, it highlights institutional obstacles, limited resources, and doubts about ICH's relevance as significant obstacles. Despite these challenges, incorporating ICH can foster civic engagement, cultural awareness, heritage preservation, and social cohesion. The study emphasizes the need for consistently including ICH in university curricula and suggests innovative methods, such as experiential learning and digital tools, to engage students effectively. Culturally responsive frameworks and dynamic interdisciplinary approaches are recommended to overcome barriers. Furthermore, integrating ICH into education is directly linked to cultural tourism, promoting sustainable tourism practices that honor and protect cultural diversity. It shows that universities can play a critical role in preserving ICH, contributing to developing culturally enriched and socially responsible graduates.
This paper explores the role of social media platforms in promoting and preserving intangible heritage, a key element of local, regional, and national identity. Platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok enhance the visibility and appreciation of traditions, customs, and artistic expressions while encouraging their transmission to future generations. Through engaging and interactive content, we can capture the attention of young audiences and stimulate interest in local traditions and practices. The paper distinguishes between “intangible heritage,” which includes a wide range of community practices and traditions, and “intangible cultural heritage,” which refers explicitly to UNESCO-recognized heritage of universal value. In the digital age, adapting heritage promotion strategies to social media is crucial for engaging younger audiences. Given the cultural significance of intangible heritage and its growing role in promoting tourism, examining how it is conveyed through social networks is essential. This paper presents an exploratory case study of the Museum of Canvases and Stories in Mândra, Romania, focusing on using platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to promote intangible heritage, highlighting key strategies such as increasing visibility through multimedia content, stimulating participation with online contests and workshops, and preserving practices in digital formats. The case study aims to (i) identify the intangible heritage elements highlighted on social media and (ii) analyze the methods used by the museum to promote these elements across its social media channels employing a quantitative and thematic content analysis. The conclusion emphasizes that effectively leveraging social media is essential for preserving and transmitting intangible heritage and offers recommendations for maximizing its outreach and impact.
In the context of the creative industries, the museum serves as a promoter of tourism, economic development, education, and science. In the era of the onslaught of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we are witnessing an expansion of opportunities to optimize its role as a communicator of values and information. In order to openly serve communities, a modern museum employs marketing and digital promotion techniques and creates a communication strategy. Within this strategy, adopting a linguistic approach can strengthen a museum’s brand, stimulate cultural mediation, and enhance visitor services. Taking into consideration the European concern for multilingualism in digital cultural heritage, we employed content analysis to examine the multilingualism on the websites of all 133 accredited museums and museum sections in Romania in 2023. On one hand, the paper highlights the lack of systematic consideration towards multilingualism, as physical and virtual visitors are generally left to “manage” with the languages. On the other hand, the research presents relevant solutions for providing websites in multiple languages: among these solutions, we suggest ChatGPT, which is starting to stand out as a revolutionary tool capable of translating diverse content for free, instantly, and accurately in multiple languages. Managerial implications are discussed since a website with comprehensive content in multiple foreign languages, strengthens the brand image and exponentially expands its global reach.
Global urbanization brings the urge to identify the most intelligent methods to cope with the challenges arising in the modern society. Sustainable and smart cities are the new target for urban development; their representatives are being forced to identify and develop new strategies to increase their city’s performance and ensure that it endures over time. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) contributes to this purpose. Brașov is one of the cities in Romania for which the process of modernization started years ago, and it is currently developing as a smart city. This paper focuses on the development of the city in terms of cultural tourism solutions by presenting a case study on the use of virtual reality with a mobile application and its evaluation on cultural heritage sites. The original contribution of the paper is to describe and analyze the quality of the mobile application by using a proposed analysis grid to identify the main elements of this app. The main findings suggest that the application may bring authenticity of experience through the lens of heritage preservation for further user engagement and participation in real-time, while suggestions are made for future enhancement. Implications are discussed for a) destination managers, b) for developers to improve the general quality of the mobile application in terms of design and features and to implement changes in the near future, and c) for visitors who engage in real-time and co-create experiences.
Athens University History Museum (AUHM) was inaugurated in 1987 in the context of the 150th anniversary of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) Institution since its establishment. Its integration in the cultural center of Athens makes it special on a global level because very few universities have managed to create a museum which highlights the cultural heritage of the university and one that addresses not only the academic community but also the broader public. In 1998, with the decision of the Greek Ministry of Culture, NKUA was granted the right to utilize the property at 16 Tholou Street, Plaka, in Athens for an expansion of its history museum. The reconstruction and expansion of the building was completed in 2019. What was the main aspect of a new narrative of the permanent collection for the new building? Specifically, NKUA’s portrait collection includes 347 works of 90 different artists, remarkable examples of modern Greek art narrating the history of NKUA, as well as the important role of those great figures in higher education. The NKUA administration decided to present to the new building the NKUA’s growth in its historical space–time. The paper examines the new approaches and perspectives for museologists and cultural managers to create a new storytelling in order to promote and enhance university heritage to public.
The university museums protect, conserve and present the cultural heritage related to education. The paper presents the initiative of the Athens University History Museum of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), a university museum that organizes for the first time in a university space a temporary exhibition dedicated to Opy Zouni, a painter with international recognition in the contemporary art of geometric abstraction. The exhibition “Opy Zouni: in first person” presented selected works by Opy Zouni with the main purpose of attributing the artistic dimension of the creator through the interpretation and analysis of her works by herself in the first person. The idea was conceived on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the loss of the internationally renowned painter Opy Zouni with the consent of the family for a cultural event that would give the public a different perspective of her work. The paper presents a good example (useful for art curators and art managers) of a temporary exhibition of a university museum which connecting the contemporary art with the university heritage.
This chapter explores diversity management as a strategic approach to address social inequalities in the context of globalization and demographic change. It focuses on the complexity of the concept of diversity, taking into account various aspects such as gender, race, age, nationality, sexual orientation, physical and mental abilities, cultural background, education, and life and work experience. The chapter explores the impact of diversity management in creating more equitable societies, promoting a broad understanding and acceptance of differences. It also analyses the challenges and barriers to implementing effective diversity management in organizations, highlighting its role in shaping equitable and inclusive work environments. The aim of the chapter is to inspire further research on diversity management as a tool to reduce social inequalities.
The prefectures of Kozani, Grevena, Kastoria, Prespes, Florina, Fthiotida, Greece are areas that are away from big centers, and the winter lasts longer and is stronger than in other parts of Greece. The areas though, manage to produce furs, wine, saffron, peaches and mushrooms for which the above-mentioned areas are famous. In that way, the land allows local people of the area to work but also associate their living with sustainable forms of tourism, such as the production of local products that come from their land.
The Greek National Index of Intangible Cultural Heritage constitutes the systematic recording of the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and techniques that are part of the Intangible Cultral Heritage, as they are practiced or performed today, as well as a means of highlighting good practices for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Specific practices of thermal baths (such as sauna bathing) are recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The case study of Evoia with its thermal spas in the city of Edipsos, the “capital” of the thermal spas in Greece, consists of elements of intangible heritage associated with the recording of practices, collective memories, but also of natural beauty. The aim of the study is to record the points of interest of the area associated with bathing traditions.
Case Study on Chalkidice - Central Macedonia for Chapter 6
Extended Case Study for Chapter 7 in the region EASTERN MACEDONIA - THRACE
A SAMPLE CASE FOR THE PROMOTION OF ARMATA TRADITION FROM UNIWA STUDENTS
A case study from the SERIFOS SIFNOS FOLEGANDRO islands, Greece.
The case study of the Greek islands of Serifos, Sifnos, Folegandros may present former traditional professions such as mining and the profession of pottery as elements of intangible cultural
heritage that have shaped people’s and humanity’s lives in the passage of time.
Case study UNESCO (Bulgarian, subtitles English)
The traditional dances and polyphonic singing from Shoplouk region of Bulgaria: UNESCO case
The present article arose from a desire to clarify contradictory statements regarding the decorative ornaments which are to be found on the carpeting from different regions in Bulgaria and in the Chiprovtsi carpets particularly.
This article will trace the role of several exhibitions for the safeguarding and transmission of Surova
traditions and rituals curated by the National Ethnological Museum, inscribed in 2015 on the UNESCO Representative List
of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Guidance note on economic dimensions of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding under the 2003 Convention
The article aims to analyse universal patterns of promoting intangible cultural heritage in the marketing strategies system for tourist regions.
Ivanova, K., Bogdanova, G., Zdravkov, K., Pavlov, R., & Paneva-Marinova, D. (2014). Project" North+": documenting, preserving and providing public access to the cultural heritage in libraries, museums, archives and galleries in North and Central Bulgaria. Digital Presentation and Preservation of Cultural and Scientific Heritage, 4, 263-269.
This paper presents the project „North +“ for documenting, preserving and providing public access to the cultural heritage in libraries, museums, archives and galleries in North and Central Bulgaria.
Zayachka, P. (2023). Intangible Cultural Heritage as a Resource for Development of Sustainable Cultural Tourism. Cultural and Historical Heritage: Preservation, Presentation, Digitalization (KIN Journal), 9(1), ISSN 2367-8038, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics – Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 141–153. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55630/KINJ.2023.090111
Thе article examines the Intangible Cultural Heritage as a valuable tourism resource not only for the national authorities but to local communities as well. It examines and analyzes the latest trends and developments in the field to sustainable cultural tourism and the normative documents of the leading international organizations in the field. Synergies between intangible cultural heritage and sustainable cultural tourism are traced and brought to the fore.
INTERAKTIVNE razstave in digitalno kuriranje nesnovne kulturne dediščine =
Interactive exhibitions and digital curation of intangible cultural heritage / [uredili
Andreja Rihter, Živa Hanc ; avtorji besedil Luçjan Bedeni … [et al.] ; avtorji fotografij
Forum slovanskih kultur … [et al.] ; prevodi Živa Hanc]. - Ljubljana : Mednarodna
ustanova - Forum slovanskih kultur = Forum of Slavic Cultures, 2025
ТРАДИЦИОННИТЕ ЗАНАЯТИ КАТО НЕМАТЕРИАЛНО КУЛТУРНО НАСЛЕДСТВО: СПОДЕЛЯНЕ НА ОПИТ И ДОБРИ ПРАКТИКИ
TRADITIONAL CRAFTS AS INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE: SHARING EXPERIENCE AND GOOD PRACTICES
©Издание на Регионалния център за опазване на нематериалното културно наследство в Югоизточна Европа под егидата на ЮНЕСКО
©Published by the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO
Sofia Regional Center for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-East Europe under the auspices of UNESCO:
Masterpieces of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-East Europe
Museums and Intangible Heritage: Towards a third space in the heritage sector
A COMPANION TO DISCOVER TRANSFORMATIVE HERITAGE PRACTICES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Authors:
TAMARA NIKOLIĆ ĐERIĆ
JORIJN NEYRINCK
EVELINE SEGHERS
EVDOKIA TSAKIRIDIS
VisitAzores homepage presents all the richness of cultural and heritage tourism attractions from the nine island of the Azores.
The Unknown Carnival of Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal): Community, Heritage, and Identity on Stage.
Authors: Marcelli, A. M., Sousa, F., Fonseca, J., Silva, L. S. D., Melotti, M., & Costa, S. G.
The article The Unknown Carnival of Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal): Community, Heritage, and Identity on Stage examines the unique carnival traditions of Terceira Island, showing how they involve widespread community participation, blend dance, music, and performance, and serve as cultural heritage that strengthens social cohesion and local identity. The study highlights the carnival’s distinctive features and its value for heritage preservation and tourism within a European folklore context.
This folder contains a collection of supplementary educational resources developed within the Erasmus+ InThrace project to support innovative, participatory and practice-based learning about Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). The materials include a hybrid Cultural Heritage Escape Room in which students work collaboratively through six research- and ethics-based challenges before presenting a final heritage-safeguarding argument.
The collection also features a semester-long Heritage Passport, which guides students through seven interconnected areas: identification and documentation, community involvement and empowerment, interpretation and promotion, policy and governance, sustainable practices, technology and innovation, and reflection and evaluation. Activities require evidence, critical reflection, ethical community engagement and lecturer validation.
Additional gamified resources include Heritage Monopoly, available as a classroom role-play and digital game, designed to explore cultural ownership, stakeholder relationships, negotiation, intellectual property instruments, and the balance between economic and cultural value. The folder also contains an interactive ICH Project Picker, which generates applied project topics for Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece and Portugal, focusing on community stewardship, tourism and digital platforms, geographical indications and cultural branding.
Provided in presentation, facilitator-guide and digital formats—including HTML and React-based tools—the resources can be used in higher education courses, workshops, blended-learning sessions, group projects, assessment activities and facilitated classroom discussions.
This folder contains presentations on Fado as Intangible Cultural Heritage, exploring its history, community transmission, UNESCO recognition and role in sustainable tourism. The resources address cultural authenticity, community involvement, digital innovation and the risks of commercialization, and include learning outcomes and discussion questions for higher education.
Core collection of legal and policy texts related to the 2003 Convention.
Background resource explaining the development of the ICH Convention framework.
The Ethical Principles for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage have been elaborated in the spirit of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and existing international normative instruments protecting human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples.
Adopted on 23 November 2021
Through an extensive compendium of case studies and best practices, drawn from across five continents, the report offers in-depth information on, and analysis of, government-led actions, public-private partnerships and community initiatives.
Resource showing how ICH contributes to sustainable development, including tourism.
Resource on transmission of ICH through education.
Farah, Paolo Davide and Tremolada, Riccardo, Global Governance and Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Information Society: At the Crossroads of IPRs and Innovation (September 1, 2015). in Daniele ARCHIBUGI and Andrea FILIPPETTI, HANDBOOK OF GLOBAL SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND INNOVATION, Handbooks of Global Policy Series, Oxford: Wiley Publisher (United Kingdom), ISBN: 978-1-118-73906-8, DOI: 10.1002/9781118739044.ch22, September 2015, pp. 462 – 479, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4042956
Open access article on digital technologies in ICH safeguarding.
Overview of funding mechanisms under the Convention.
Description of UNESCO capacity-building initiatives.
Assessment of implementation and funding effectiveness.
Case-based analysis of community consent under the Convention.
Analysis of ICH practices and appropriation