Paper short abstract:

There’s no bigger uncertainty than war. Living heritage in times of war is exposed to big threats, but it can help in reconciliation and post-conflict times. This presentation will illustrate the impacts of war on Living Heritage and the possibilities of this heritage in times of post-conflict.

Paper long abstract:

Since its creation, the UNESCO lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage - ICH (the Representative List, the Urgent Safeguarding List and the Register of Good Safeguarding Projects) have included many elements affected by armed conflicts or that contribute to restore peace in diverse contexts. After a systematic analysis of the nomination files of these practices, it is possible to identify three main categories of impacts of conflicts showing the great uncertainty war can cause on Living Heritage.

Based on an analysis of the UNESCO lists, this presentation will develop these categories to illustrate how some the countries are dealing with the threats of wars and how they are using ICH elements to restore peace. If well implemented, these measures can be effective and can have a positive impact on intangible heritage and as a tool for peacebuilding.

The presentation will conclude with some examples of Living Heritage in post-conflict times in which, by resolving conflicts and disputes, ensuring fair access to natural resources and promoting social cohesion, Intangible Cultural Heritage is a way to ensure peacefully everyday life that should be safeguarded and, in many cases, serve as an example to find a better future. These examples show how the safeguarding of ICH in times of conflict and post-conflict can have a strong impact to strengthen the social cohesion and to improve the ways of life of communities.