Convention for the Safeguarding of ICH

　　Considering that existing international agreements, recommendations and resolutions concerning the cultural and natural heritage need to be effectively enriched and supplemented by means of new provisions relating to the intangible cultural heritage,

　　Considering the need to build greater awareness, especially among the younger generations, of the importance of the intangible cultural heritage and of its safeguarding,

　　Considering that the international community should contribute, together with the States Parties to this Convention, to the safeguarding of such heritage in a spirit of cooperation and mutual assistance,

　　Recalling UNESCO's programmes relating to the intangible cultural heritage, in particular the Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity,

　　Considering the invaluable role of the intangible cultural heritage as a factor in bringing human beings closer together and ensuring exchange and understanding among them,

　　Adopts this Convention on this seventeenth day of October 2003.

　　I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

　　Article 1 - Purposes of the Convention

　　The purposes of this Convention are:

　　(a) to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage;

　　(b) to ensure respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned;

　　(c) to raise awareness at the local, national and international levels of the importance of the intangible cultural heritage, and of ensuring mutual appreciation thereof;

　　(d) to provide for international cooperation and assistance.