Innovative approaches to intangible cultural heritage for societal resilience

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) includes traditions, oral histories, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, as defined by UNESCO[[ Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage (2003) https://ich.unesco.org/en/convention. Proposals may adopt a broader definition of intangible cultural heritage, supported by a solid scientific foundation.]]. ICH represents a repository of traditional knowledge and forms the backbone of a community's identity and continuity.

Societal challenges such as globalization, urbanization, migration, conflicts, disasters, and climate change significantly threaten the safeguarding and transmission of these cultural legacies. Additional threats include rural depopulation, an ageing society, and a growing disconnection between older and younger generations[[ UNESCO highlighted in a visual the phenomena threatening intangible cultural heritage, grouping them into nine categories https://ich.unesco.org/dive/threat/?language=en.]]. Research on ICH is dynamic but noteworthy gaps exist. There is a need for comprehensive risk assessments on the impact of societal challenges and climate change on ICH, including the erosion of cultural practices due to migration, displacement, or to a changed living environment.

A crucial under-researched area is the role of ICH in strengthening resilience against societal challenges and disasters and in fostering climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. Traditional knowledge systems and practices developed over generations by communities, including indigenous communities, and embedded within ICH, provide insights for sustainable natural resource management and adaptation strategies tuned to local ecosystems. This includes identifying natural hazard risks, disaster response, and post-disaster restoration of social and natural environments. Additionally, ICH practices such as rituals, storytelling, or traditional craftsmanship, help preserve cultural identity while enhancing mental health and quality of life, contributing to social well-being, community resilience, and recovery efforts.

In parallel, there is an urgent need for innovative approaches to sustain and revitalize ICH by fostering participatory approaches that actively involve communities, with particular attention to young people, whose engagement is key for safeguarding and transmitting ICH. Furthermore, strengthening research-community collaboration and involving the education sector are essential for co-creating knowledge and innovation with concrete societal impacts. Potential areas for exploration include innovative methods to promote and safeguard ICH, and bridging gaps in heritage roles, including women’s contribution in the safeguarding and transmission of ICH. Advanced digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, can innovate support for ICH through sustainable documentation, safeguarding, and dissemination, including through immersive experiences, and respecting the balance between safeguarding and evolution. Consideration should be given to preserving audiovisual collections which serve as carrier of ICH and capture its history and evolution. Proposals might consider leveraging the digital platform and tools provided by the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage[[ In addition, where applicable, proposals can leverage the data and services available through the research infrastructures included in the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and the ESFRI roadmap and those federated under the European Open Science Cloud, as well as data from relevant Data Spaces. Particular efforts should be made to ensure that any data produced in the context of this topic is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable).]].

Leveraging ICH through sustainable practices can contribute to sustainable development. ICH reveals ways of living that are less resource demanding. For example, traditional building techniques can inspire sustainable architectural designs; centuries-old agricultural practices can inform organic farming; and traditional crafts, music, and folklore can drive innovation in fashion, product design, and the arts. By integrating intangible cultural elements into modern practices, communities can create globally resonant, high-value products while keeping their cultural significance. Cultural tourism, centred around ICH, can boost local economies, and foster intercultural dialogue. Maintaining the integrity of ICH and preventing depletion is essential, as is ensuring the sustainability and fair distribution of benefits from ICH among the community.

Proposals should consider involving communities bearing and practicing intangible cultural heritage alongside with researchers and other stakeholders. Proposals should build on existing knowledge, activities, and networks, notably those funded by the European Union. They should complement ongoing Horizon Europe projects and are expected to liaise with the European Partnership on Resilient Cultural Heritage (see HORIZON-CL2-2025-03-HERITAGE-01).

The Commission expects funded projects to regularly coordinate with relevant Cluster 2 projects (including those under the European Partnership on Resilient Cultural Heritage) to ensure complementarity of deliverables and outcomes, where appropriate.