Fado is Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity!

Portugal in photos - The Portuguese guitar by aportugueselove

Fado Portuguese traditional music was declared today Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 6th meeting of the International Committee of UNESCO held in Bali, Indonesia!

These were the Criteria and timetable of inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Do you know what intangible heritage means?

The following is the text of the Commitee Decision:

Decision 6.COM 13.39 

The Committee (…) decides that [this element] satisfies the criteria for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as follows: 

R.1: A musical and lyrical expression of great versatility, Fado strengthens the feeling of belonging and identity within the community of Lisbon, and its leading practitioners continue to transmit the repertory and practices to younger performers; 

R.2: Inscription of Fado on Representative List could contribute to further interaction with other musical genres, both at the national and international levels, thus ensuring visibility and awareness of the intangible cultural heritage and encouraging intercultural dialogue; 

R.3: Safeguarding measures reflect the combined efforts and commitment of the bearers, local communities, the Museum of Fado, the Ministry of Culture, as well as other local and national authorities and aim at long-term safeguarding through educational programs, research, publications, performances, seminars, and workshops; 

R.4: Fado musicians, singers, poets, historians, luthiers, collectors, researchers, the Museum of Fado, and other institutions participated in the nomination process, and their free, prior, and informed consent is demonstrated; 

R.5: Fado is included in the catalog of the Museu do Fado which was expanded in 2005 into a general inventory including also the collections of a wide range of public and private museums and archives. 

Inscribes Fado, an urban popular song of Portugal on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.