List of Intangible Cultural Heritage elements in Belgium

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) intangible cultural heritage elements are the non-physical traditions and practices performed by a people. As part of a country's cultural heritage, they include celebrations, festivals, performances, oral traditions, music, and the making of handicrafts.^[1] The "intangible cultural heritage" is defined by the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, drafted in 2003^[2] and took effect in 2006.^[3] Inscription of new heritage elements on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists is determined by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, an organisation established by the convention.^[4]

Belgium ratified the convention on 24 March 2006.

Intangible Cultural Heritage elements

+ Transnational element

Representative List

Name	Year	No.	Description
Carnival of Binche	2008	00033	The Carnival of Binche is an annual festival held in Binche during the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday.
Processional giants and dragons in Belgium and France +^[a]	2008	00153	The processional giants and dragons of Belgium and France are a set of folkloric manifestations involving processional giants and dragons.
Procession of the Holy Blood in Bruges	2009	00263	The Procession of the Holy Blood is a religious Catholic procession which takes place each Ascension Day in Bruges.
Krakelingen and Tonnekensbrand, end-of-winter bread and fire feast at Geraardsbergen	2010	00401	Krakelingen and Tonnekensbrand are the names of annual centuries-old festivities in Geraardsbergen.
Houtem Jaarmarkt, annual winter fair and livestock market at Sint-Lievens-Houtem	2010	00403	Each November, Sint-Lievens-Houtem holds a winter fair and livestock market, the Houtem Jaarmarkt, where hundreds of traders sell cattle and horses.
Leuven age set ritual repertoire	2011	00404	The Leuven age set ritual is a tradition of men from Leuven born the same year.
Marches of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse	2012	00670	The Marches of Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse are a set of folk marches, taking place from May to October in Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse [fr].
Shrimp fishing on horseback in Oostduinkerke	2013	00673	Shrimp fishing on horseback in Oostduinkerke.
Beer culture in Belgium	2016	01062	Beer in Belgium includes pale ales, lambics, Flemish red ales, sour brown ales, strong ales and stouts.
Ommegang of Brussels, an annual historical procession and popular festival	2019	01366	The Ommegang of Brussels is a traditional Ommegang, a type of medieval pageant, celebrated annually in Brussels.
Musical art of horn players, an instrumental technique linked to singing, breath control, vibrato, resonance of place and conviviality +^[b]	2020	01581
Namur stilt jousting	2021	01590	Stilt jousting is a 600-year-old tradition of Namur, in which costumed people on stilts joust.
Falconry, a living human heritage +^[c]	2021	01708	The origin of falconry goes back to the use of hunting by birds of prey as a mean of hunting but it has evolved over time to become part of the cultural heritage of the people.
Traditional irrigation: knowledge, technique, and organization +^[d]	2023	01979

Good Safeguarding Practices

Name	Year	No.
Programme of cultivating ludodiversity: safeguarding traditional games in Flanders	2011	00513
Safeguarding the carillon culture: preservation, transmission, exchange and awareness-raising	2014	01017
Tocatì, a shared programme for the safeguarding of traditional games and sports +^[e]	2022	01709
Safeguarding foster care heritage in the merciful city of Geel: a community-based care model	2023	00622

Notes

^ Shared with France.
^ Shared with France, Luxembourg, and Italy.
^ Shared with Austria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates.
^ Shared with Austria, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Switzerland.
^ Shared with Croatia, Cyprus, France, and Italy.

References

^ "What is Intangible Cultural Heritage?". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
^ "Text of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
^ "The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
^ "Functions of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.

External links

UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage: Official site
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in Belgium: Official site

[5] Shared with France.

[6] Shared with France, Luxembourg, and Italy.

[7] Shared with Austria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates.

[8] Shared with Austria, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Switzerland.

[9] Shared with Croatia, Cyprus, France, and Italy.

[1] "What is Intangible Cultural Heritage?". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.

[2] "Text of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.

[3] "The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.

[4] "Functions of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage". UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 13 January 2024.

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