UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) programme was established in 2003, and Myanmar became a signatory to the convention in 2013.
CHAIR DAW SANDA KHIN of the Myanmar Cultural Heritage Trust, stated that efforts are underway to include Mahagita (traditional Myanmar classic music) in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Traditional Myanmar Ata Thingyan Festival, also known as the Traditional Myanmar New Year Water Festival, was first included in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2024, and the Myanma Thanaka cultural tradition was submitted in 2025.
Myanmar possesses a vast number of cultural heritage items, including approximately 2,200 that have been inventoried and documented, with plans to submit them to UNESCO annually.
“We have to submit them, but I haven’t been able to do so this year yet. We will need to vote to determine whether it is on the priority list. We have to submit it to prevent Mahagita from disappearing. We also need to submit the tradition of tea consumption and the tradition of wearing traditional Acheik dress. Many stakeholders want to submit their preferred traditional items. The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture will need to negotiate with us to submit it next year. These items will be included on the submission list. I can’t say exactly yet,” said Daw Sanda Khin.
Daw Sanda Khin also stated that, in the future, the people of Myanmar will be able to vote online for the cultural heritage items to be submitted to UNESCO. She mentioned that it is possible that around five cultural items will be posted online and selected through a voting system. UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) programme was established in 2003, and Myanmar became a signatory to the convention in 2013. — ASH/TH
