According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), intangible cultural heritage (ICH) includes all the “practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills that communities recognize as part of their cultural heritage”. It also includes traditions or living expressions, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.

Due to their peculiar geographical position, as well as historical and social reasons, mountain regions are often repositories of ICH, like traditions, practices, food heritage and dialects. However, ICH is increasingly threatened with extinction. It is therefore important that destinations develop strategies and practices to revitalize ICH and preserve it for future generations. Sustainable tourism, generally intended to preserve natural and cultural environment for future generations, should also contribute to preservation and revitalization of ICH.

This workshop will create an international learning experience for PhD students and aims at developing topics and projects around ICH in mountain regions, especially related to sustainable tourism development. The objective is to raise awareness about the role and importance of the ICH of these regions. Furthermore, it is also important to revitalize certain traditions, customs and practices and improve their resilience in the long term.

TBA