Bring out your cheese rolling, your niche crafts, steel drumming or Burns Night suppers for these are part of the UK’s intangible cultural heritage, and could be in line for official United Nations recognition.
Eighteen months after the UK finally signed up to a UN list of recognised cultural traditions from around the world, ministers have launched public callout for ideas about which domestic variants should be submitted to the organisation.
The intangible cultural heritage list, curated by Unesco, the UN’s cultural and educational body, already cites many hundreds of examples of events, crafts, cuisines and other phenomena from the 180-plus nations signed up, covering everything from the couscous dishes of north Africa to Costa Rican ox-herding and avalanche management techniques in the Alps.
The list was created under a UN convention in 2003, but the UK ratified this only in June last year, and thus far has no heritage items on the register.
Fiona Twycross, a Labour peer who is a minister in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), called on Friday for people from across the UK to suggest things that could be submitted to Unesco, with separate listings for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as a UK-wide combined one.
“From Highland dancing to cheese rolling and the carving of Welsh love spoons, these traditions form the rich tapestry of UK culture and identity,” she said, asking for submissions before the end of February next year.
“These crafts, customs and celebrations are often what makes people feel proud of who they are, where they come from and where they live. They also boost local economies and businesses.
“Whatever living heritage communities value, we want to hear about it. I encourage people to get together and share their traditions through this national conversation.”
Possible examples mentioned by DCMS included widespread crafts and cultural activities such as tartan weaving and dry-stone walling or ceilidh dancing, Burns Night suppers and the Eisteddfod, a festival of Welsh culture, to more niche activities such as the dramatic and perilous annual chase for a cheese rolled down Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire.
Other suggested inclusions could come from immigrant communities, for example Notting Hill carnival and steel-drumming, the announcement suggested.
One condition for a nomination is that it should include involvement from a community or group involved in it, the statement added. The aim will be to launch the first UK inventory next summer.
After an initial consultation on how the domestic system should work, it was decided that submissions must fall into one of seven categories: oral expressions; performing arts; social practices; nature, land and spirituality; crafts; sports and games; and culinary practices.