Intangible cultural heritage, which is often called living heritage, may be acknowledged through practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills, instruments and objects, which are part of both the past and the modern life of a community. As an indicator of community’s identity, it is transferred from one generation to the other, providing a sense of belonging to its carriers.
The new system, established according to the experiences and guidelines of the UNESCO Convention on safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage, which has been applied in Serbia since 2010, recognizes the importance of shared action by native carriers and experts, institutions and local communities, on safeguarding the heritage which changed its forms and roles but remained to this day. The institutional framework for systematic and organized safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Serbia was established through formation of a network of expert bodies, including the National Committee for intangible cultural heritage at the Ministry of Culture and Information of Republic of Serbia, the Commission for inclusion in the National list, the network of regional coordinators and the Center for intangible cultural heritage at the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade.
A large and significant step in safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage was made in 2012 by forming the National register of intangible cultural heritage. The Register, which is based in the Center for intangible heritage of Serbia, presently includes 49 elements recognized as part of the living cultural heritage of Serbia.
