The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will examine nominations for possible inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding (agenda item 7.a), in line with the Operational Directives of the 2003 Convention. The nominations include both standalone files and those combined with requests for International Assistance.
Each nomination file submitted by a State Party includes a Nomination Form (ICH-01), evidence of community consent, an extract from the national inventory, as well as ten photographs and one video. The Evaluation Body’s recommendations are presented in document LHE/25/20.COM/7.a, while all nomination files are published online to ensure transparency and public access.
A recent example highlights the importance of robust research and documentation in this process. The work of Clara Sarmento, researcher and Director of the Centre for Intercultural Studies (CEI), ISCAP–P.Porto, on the moliceiro boat of the Ria de Aveiro (Portugal) was cited 50 times in the national ICH Inventory. This inventory formed the core basis for the nomination of “Moliceiro Boat: The Art of Naval Carpentry of the Aveiro Region” to UNESCO’s Urgent Safeguarding List. The nomination was approved on 9 December 2025 by the Intergovernmental Committee meeting in New Delhi.
The official nomination documentation is available on the UNESCO website under item 7.a.7.: