Key concepts of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

In this chapter, key concepts used in the 2003 Convention are briefly introduced, such as ‘intangible cultural heritage’, its ‘intergenerational transmission’ and ‘safeguarding’ and the notion of ‘communities.’ Although the Convention does not include an official glossary, as the field of intangible cultural heritage is still evolving, learners will find it useful to become more familiar with some of the basic concepts to better follow the course and develop an understanding of the role of intangible cultural heritage for development. The chapter also recalls the concept of ‘sustainable development.’