UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Elements: Instrumentalization and Cultural Representations in the Context of Tourism and Regional Development in Slovakia

Transformation of Rural Life and Intangible Cultural Heritage in Slovakia

Since the second half of the 20th century, Slovakia has undergone an intensive transformation of rural life, accompanied by a shift in the socio-cultural system traditionally referred to as folk culture. Certain elements of this heritage have demonstrated remarkable resilience, acquiring new functions and social significance, often manifesting in domains such as folklorism and cultural tourism. For local communities, these elements serve as vital instruments of regional development and as cultural representations reinforcing identity. In academic discourse, they are commonly classified as intangible cultural heritage (ICH) or “living heritage” (henceforth ICH).

In Slovakia, particularly in the 21st century, intangible cultural heritage has become a subject of growing institutional attention, with dedicated frameworks established to ensure its safeguarding. A key focus of scholarly research is the system of ICH elements inscribed on UNESCO’s UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Slovakia and practices included in the Register of Best Safeguarding Practices in Slovakia. These lists constitute an essential mechanism for the institutional protection and promotion of living heritage, in alignment with the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which Slovakia ratified in 2006, as well as the national Concept for the Sustainable Development of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Traditional Folk Culture (2020–2025).

Objectives of the Applied Research Project

This applied research project aims to address the needs and capacities of the Beneficiary by developing and testing a systematic methodology for the documentation of intangible cultural heritage elements in Slovakia. A key component of this initiative is the creation of a set of tailored questionnaires, adapted to specific categories of ICH elements. The second major  outcome will be a professionally curated and structured corpus of data, grounded in qualitative research methodologies.

A significant added value of this project is its exploration of the stakeholders, socio-cultural processes, conditions of existence, and forms of instrumentalization ICH elements in the contemporary context of regional development. This research will provide critical insights into the dynamics of ICH transmission, adaptation, and utilization within local communities.

Beneficiaries and Institutional Framework

The primary beneficiary of this research is the Centre for Traditional Folk Culture, a specialized department within the Slovak State Traditional Dance and Music Ensemble (SĽUK), which operates as a contributory organization under the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic. The Centre was established to fulfill Slovakia’s commitments under the 2003 UNESCO Convention and national policy frameworks. A secondary beneficiary of the project’s outcomes is the Department of Living Heritage and Culture of Disadvantaged Groups within the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, which oversees the safeguarding and promotion of ICH at the national level.

By reinforcing documentation methodologies and expanding the knowledge base on ICH elements, this project directly supports institutional efforts to ensure the sustainable safeguarding, promotion, and responsible utilization of Slovakia’s intangible cultural heritage.

Picture: © SĽUK, www. fondtlk. sk