INDIA, July 5, 2005: When the General Conference of UNESCO met in Paris in 2003, the 32th session adopted an International Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The convention defined intangible cultural heritage as follows, “The practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – of those communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals who recognize these as part of their cultural heritage.” India already has two such items that have been declared Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. They are the Kutiyattam, a Sanskrit theatre, and the tradition of Vedic chanting in India. In July of 2005, Ramlila, the traditional performance of the Ramayana, has been proposed to UNESCO to add to India’s other two masterpieces. The Indian government has also agreed to financially support the fund created by UNESCO to safeguard cultural heritages by contributing US$6,000 every two years.
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