Cultural heritage extends beyond monuments and artefacts; it encompasses the traditions and living expressions handed down through generations. These include oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festivals, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, and the skills involved in crafting traditional items. This rich, intangible heritage connects us to our ancestors and will shape the legacy we pass to future generations.
Although fragile, intangible cultural heritage plays a crucial role in preserving cultural diversity amid the forces of increasing globalisation.
The UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage was ratified on 7th March 2017 after being approved by the Maltese Parliament with Motion 450.
As national regulator for cultural heritage in Malta, it is the duty of the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage to safeguard and promote Intangible Cultural Heritage. As defined by the Cultural Heritage Act 2002 (as amended), “cultural heritage” includes not only tangible assets of artistic, historical, architectural, and archaeological merit, but also intangible assets comprising arts, traditions, customs, and skills. Moreover, the Superintendence of Cultural Heritage is a member of the Intangible Heritage Committee.
The Culture Directorate, as the government body tasked with administrating the management and identification of Intangible Cultural Heritage, invites communities, organisations, and individuals to help enrich the National Inventory by nominating intangible cultural heritage elements for safeguarding through a structured, supportive process. Elements listed in the National Inventory may also be nominated for UNESCO’s International Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Currently, Malta’s National Inventory includes 12 intangible cultural heritage elements.
Notably, three elements have been nominated for and successfully inscribed to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: Il-Ftira, the culinary tradition of Maltese flattened sourdough bread, inscribed in 2020; L-Għana, Malta’s traditional folksong, inscribed in 2021; and Il-Festa Maltija, the Maltese feast, inscribed in 2023.
