"Culture can in its broadest sense be regarded as the totality of the distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual, and emotional features that characterize a society or social group. This includes not only art and literature, but also ways of life, human rights, value systems, traditions, and beliefs."
— UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies, Mexico, 1982

This report summarizes the outcomes of a workshop marking the 20th anniversary of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). Participants exchanged experiences and reflected on key challenges and strategies for ICH safeguarding through three thematic tables: (1) Transmission and Safeguarding, (2) Visibility, Awareness, and Cooperation, and (3) Documentation, Research, and Legal Frameworks.

The discussions highlighted successful formats for knowledge transmission, such as reinterpretation of traditional techniques, publications, workshops, and networking activities. Emphasis was placed on integrating ICH into education and ensuring intergenerational transmission, particularly in crafts, while addressing societal recognition, acceptance, and controversies. The need for stronger networking—both among ICH bearers and across disciplines and sectors—was a recurring theme.

The report also identifies opportunities and challenges related to visibility, inclusion, and digitalization. Participants noted the underrepresentation of marginalized groups and stressed the importance of sustainable financing models for documentation, research, and digital archives. Inclusion in the national ICH inventory was recognized as enhancing public respect and motivation for bearers.

Key recommendations emerging from the workshop include fostering cooperation and exchange, supporting underrepresented communities, providing sustainable resources for research and documentation, and promoting societal appreciation of ICH. The report underscores the importance of enabling bearers to recognize their own knowledge, facilitating access to official ICH documentation, and engaging with societal debates to ensure the continued safeguarding and vitality of intangible cultural heritage.