This article lists the practices listed in UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in Swiss.
Understand
Switzerland is a State Party to the Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage and has ratified on .
The country has seven practices listed on the "representative list of intangible cultural heritage From UNESCO. Three are in the field of “social practices, rituals and festive events”; one is part of the field of "knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe"; two are in the field of "know-how related to traditional crafts" and one in "register of best practices for safeguarding culture ».
No other practice is repeated on the "emergency backup list ».
Lists
Representative list
| Convenient | Year | Domain | Description | Drawing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Vevey Winegrowers' Festival | 2016 | social practices, rituals and festive events | In Vevey, Switzerland, there is a tradition that celebrates the work of the community's winemakers and involves not only professionals but also members of the public and local artists. Initially a simple parade, the Fête des Vignerons now has 15 performances over three weeks and more than 5,000 extras. Organized every twenty years, each festival is based on the recreation of traditional themes such as the work of the land and the vines, the cycle of the seasons and fraternity. Processions take place throughout the festival, as well as awards for the best winegrowers. The festival also features music and songs, such as the Ranz des vaches (traditional song of alpine herders), and processions to the nearby town of La Tour-de-Peilz. You can also meet disguised extras and marmosets (wooden figurines attached to sticks). The Fête des Vignerons is essentially based on the work of volunteers, who prepare it for several years. The transmission takes place through families and the non-profit association of the Confrérie des Vignerons de Vevey, which coordinates the festival and whose members are from the general public. This tradition encourages the spirit of community, contributes to artistic life and provides a feeling of cultural continuity, while stimulating the know-how of artisan winegrowers. |  |
| 2 | 2017 | social practices, rituals and festive events | The Basel Carnival begins on the Monday following Ash Wednesday and lasts exactly 72 hours. It is the biggest carnival in Switzerland. Two processions, on Monday and Wednesday, bring together 11,000 costumed carnival riders in parades made up of cliques of fifes and drums, floats and carriages. Tuesday is the day dedicated to children, with concerts and lantern exhibitions. Other events also punctuate the party. Carnival looks like a giant satirical review where all visual and rhetorical means are used to denounce flaws and blunders. Around 20,000 people of all ages, social status, origin and political beliefs actively participate in the festival, which attracts nearly 200,000 visitors from Switzerland and abroad. Bearers and practitioners are organized into associations of different types, made up of men and women equally. Carnival contributes to social cohesion, promotes tolerance through social criticism and contributes to the preservation of the local dialect. The transmission takes place informally in families who have participated in it for several generations. Cliques also play an important role in this regard. Several of them have a section dedicated to the next generation. Several pre-carnival events punctuate the year and allow the element to be transmitted outside the carnival. Thanks to the safeguarding measures taken by the communities over the past decades and the constant support of the authorities, the carnival has been saved. |  |
| Avalanche danger management Note Switzerland shares this practice withAustria. | 2018 | knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe | Managing the danger of avalanches has shaped the identity of alpine populations who face the threat avalanches pose each winter to residents, tourists, communications and other vital infrastructure. As the Alps are densely populated, the phenomenon of avalanches is a major concern and a collective responsibility of the communities. For centuries, inhabitants and mountain dwellers have developed local empirical knowledge, risk management and avoidance strategies as well as cultural practices to guard against the danger of avalanches. Today, modern tools such as measuring instruments and risk mapping complement traditional knowledge that holders continue to develop and adapt in the field. The element is rooted in the day-to-day culture of communities and underlines the importance of solidarity in times of crisis. Avalanche risk assessment requires a thorough knowledge of nature, especially terrain, snow, weather conditions and past avalanches. While this knowledge was previously transmitted orally, it is now the result of a dynamic process that combines empirical knowledge and practical experience: the transfer of knowledge takes place from science to practice and from the field to research. Many training activities are offered, and those interested have access to a wide variety of information sources such as avalanche bulletins, media, cheat sheets, websites, manuals and exhibits. |  |
| The art of dry stone construction: know-how and techniques | 2018 | know-how related to traditional craftsmanship | The art of dry stone construction is the skill associated with building stone structures by stacking stones on top of each other without using any other material, except sometimes dry earth. Dry stone structures are found in most rural areas - mostly on hilly terrain - both inside and outside inhabited spaces. However, they are not absent from urban areas. The stability of the structures is ensured by a careful choice and placement of stones. The dry stone structures have shaped many and varied landscapes, allowing the development of different types of habitats, agriculture and livestock. These structures bear witness to the methods and practices used by populations from prehistoric times to modern times to organize their living and working spaces by optimizing local natural and human resources. They play an essential role in preventing landslides, floods and avalanches, combating land erosion and desertification, improving biodiversity and creating suitable micro-climatic conditions for agriculture. Bearers and practitioners are the rural communities in which the element is deeply rooted, as well as professionals in the construction sector. Dry stone structures are always made in perfect harmony with the environment and the technique is representative of a harmonious relationship between humans and nature. The practice is mainly transmitted through a practical application adapted to the specific conditions of each place. |  |
| Mountaineering | 2019 | Mountaineering is the art of climbing peaks and walls in high mountains, in all seasons, in rocky or glacial terrain. It calls on physical, technical and intellectual capacities and is practiced using adapted techniques, very specific equipment and tools such as ice axes and crampons. It is a traditional physical practice characterized by a shared culture, bringing together knowledge of the high mountain environment, the history of the practice and the values associated with it, and specific know-how. . Mountaineering also requires knowledge of the environment, changing climatic conditions and natural hazards. It is also based on aesthetic references, the mountaineers being attached to the elegance of the gesture in the ascent, to the contemplation of the landscapes and to the communion with the natural environments crossed. The practice also mobilizes ethical principles based on the commitments of each individual, in particular to leave no trace of his passage and to come to the aid of other practitioners. The team spirit, symbolized by the roped party, is another essential element in the mentality of mountaineers. Most of the community members belong to alpine clubs, which disseminate alpine practices around the world. These clubs organize group outings, provide practical information and contribute to various publications. They are therefore vectors of the culture of mountaineering. Since XXe century, the alpine clubs of the three countries cultivate bonds of friendship by frequently organizing bilateral or trilateral meetings at various levels. |  | |
| 3 Holy Week processions in Mendrisio | 2019 | social practices, rituals and festive events | Holy Week processions take place in the historic town of Mendrisio on the evenings of Good Thursday and Good Friday and attract over 10,000 spectators. On these occasions, the city lights are turned off and the streets are only lit by the glow of "transparencies", translucent paintings mounted on wooden frames and illuminated from within, which are handcrafted. using a particular painting technique dating from the end of the 18th century. Today, the 260 transparencies illustrate biblical scenes and symbols. During the Thursday procession, around 270 extras perform the Passion of Christ and the Stations of the Cross. The sound of trumpets and drums sets the pace and fills the streets with a contemplative atmosphere. The Good Friday procession is more austere: hundreds of children and adults parade carrying more than 500 ceremonial objects, including 320 lanterns representing symbols of Christ's passion. The choreography and scenography of the processions establish a contemplative atmosphere and the transparencies promote local craftsmanship. Hundreds of men and women organize the event on a voluntary basis and a large part of the population supports the practice by attending the processions. The Fondazione Processioni Storiche di Mendrisio prepares and organizes the processions with the broad participation of the community and ensures the transmission of the associated knowledge by its members, among others. |  |
| Know-how in watchmaking and mechanical engineering Note Switzerland shares this practice with France. | 2020 | know-how related to traditional craftsmanship | At the crossroads of science, art and technique, know-how in watchmaking mechanics and mechanical art make it possible to create horological objects intended to measure and indicate time (watches, clocks, clocks and chronometers), art automatons and mechanical androids, sculptures and animated paintings, music boxes and songbirds. These technical and artistic objects include a mechanical device to generate movements or emit sounds. If the mechanisms are generally hidden, they can also be visible, and this contributes to the poetic and emotional dimension of these objects. The Jura Arc is a region in which craftsmanship remains particularly alive, thanks to the presence of highly qualified craftsmen and companies which contribute to the promotion of know-how, as well as to the establishment of a comprehensive training offer. Historically, entire families exercised this practice, developing learning methods but also professional and family alliances. The learning of skills usually begins in training schools. Today, blogs, forums, online tutorials and open collaborative projects allow practitioners to share their expertise. These skills have an economic function, but they have also shaped the architecture, town planning and the daily social reality of the regions concerned. The practice conveys many values such as a taste for a job well done, punctuality, perseverance, creativity, dexterity and patience. Moreover, the infinite quest for precision and the intangible aspect of the measurement of time give this practice a strong philosophical dimension. | _169.JPG/150px-Jhurasa_Kampara_Muzeo_(horloghista_ilaro)_169.JPG) |
Register of Best Safeguarding Practices
| Convenient | Year | Domain | Description | Drawing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craft techniques and customary practices of cathedral workshops, or Bauhütten, in Europe, know-how, transmission, development of knowledge, innovation | 2020 | * Knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe * Social practices, rituals and festive events * Know-how related to traditional craftsmanship | Operation in workshops, or Bauhüttenwesen, appeared in the Middle Ages on the construction sites of European cathedrals. Today as then, these workshops welcome different trades working in close collaboration. In German, the term Bauhüttenwesen refers on the one hand to the organization of a network of workshops involved in the construction or restoration of a building, and on the other hand to the workshop itself, as a workplace. Since the end of the Middle Ages, these workshops have formed a supra-regional network that extends beyond national borders. These workshops safeguard the traditional customs and rituals associated with different professions, as well as a wealth of knowledge passed down from generation to generation, both orally and in writing. Confronted with the progressive shortage of technical skills and the growing mechanization associated with a policy of cost optimization, the workshops created or re-established in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have become institutions dedicated to preservation, transmission and development. traditional techniques and know-how. Their commitment to safeguarding and promoting living heritage, which is reflected in awareness-raising, information and communication measures and in close cooperation with actors from the political world, the Church, and monument conservation. , business and research, can be seen as an example to be adapted and implemented in other contexts around the world. The workshops, by their organization and their training system for in situ practice, can also serve as models for all types of buildings to be constructed and maintained. |  |
Emergency backup list
Switzerland does not have any practice included in the register.
