Finland - Sauna culture in Finland. Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. Traditionally the sauna was considered a sacred space, ‘a church of nature’. It is not only used to wash one’s body, but also to cleanse the mind and enjoy a sense of inner peace. There are a variety of forms and approaches in sauna culture, with none taking precedence over another. Traditions are transmitted through families and can be practised in private homes or public places.

France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy - Musical art of horn players, an instrumental technique linked to singing, breath control, vibrato, resonance of place and conviviality. The musical art of horn players, an instrumental technique linked to singing, breath control, vibrato, resonance of place and conviviality relates to the techniques and skills used to play the horn. Playing the horn is a performative art open to musical creativity and practised on festive occasions. Players come from all backgrounds and this great social mix is one of the hallmarks of current horn practice. Horn music maintains a vast, lively musical repertoire constantly enriched since the 17th century and a great sense of belonging and continuity stems from interpreting this common repertoire.

Indonesia, Malaysia - Pantun. Pantun is a rhyming form of Malay verse. It is the most widespread oral form in maritime Southeast Asia. Many verses express love of a romantic partner, family, community, and the natural world. Pantun is a socially acceptable medium of indirect communication and also provides moral guidance as verses contain religious and cultural values. Pantun is recited in song and writing at weddings, rituals, and official ceremonies.

Iran (Islamic Republic of), Armenia - Pilgrimage to the St. Thaddeus Apostle Monastery.The annual three-day pilgrimage to St Thaddeus Apostle Monastery in northwestern Iran venerates two prominent saints: St Thaddeus, an Apostle of Christ, and St Santukhd, the first female Christian martyr. The pilgrimage is the primary social and cultural event of Iranian-Armenians and followers of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The commemoration ceremony includes special liturgies, processions, prayers, and fasting. It culminates in a Holy Mass. Special times are set aside for traditional Armenian folk performances and Armenian dishes are served during the event.

Italy, France - The art of glass beads. The art of glass beads is linked to the wealth of knowledge and mastery of a material (glass) and an element (fire). It uses specific traditional tools and processes. Different types of beads are produced, such as a lume and da canna beads in Italy, or hollow beads made either on a mandrel or by blowing into a hollow cane in France. Gifts made with glass beads are used to mark certain events and social occasions and the practice promotes social cohesion and dexterity in manual and craft work.

Japan - Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan. Traditional skills, techniques and knowledge for the conservation and transmission of wooden architecture in Japan involves a set of traditional skills, techniques and knowledge, including sakan plastering, harvesting of Japanese cypress bark, lacquer painting, production of tatami mats, and much more. Wood has been used in houses since ancient times, with master craftsmen training apprentices as successors. Nowadays, knowledge and traditional skills are mainly transmitted through preservation associations. Restoration of traditional wooden structures requires cooperation, fosters social cohesion and strengthens the cultural identity of communities.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey - Traditional intelligence and strategy game: Togyzqumalaq, Toguz Korgool, Mangala/Göçürme. Traditional intelligence and strategy game: Togyzqumalaq, Toguz Korgool, Mangala/Göçürme is a traditional game played on either dedicated or improvised boards such as pits on the ground. The game has several variations and can be played with pellets made of stone, wood, nuts or seeds, which are distributed across the pits. The player who gathers the most pellets wins. The practice is also linked to other traditional crafts such as wood and stone carving and jewellery making. The game improves players’ cognitive, motor and social skills, and is transmitted both informally and through formal education.

Malawi, Zimbabwe - Art of crafting and playing Mbira/Sansi, the finger-plucking traditional musical instrument in Malawi and Zimbabwe. The art of crafting and playing Mbira/Sansi, a traditional finger-plucking musical instrument in Malawi and Zimbabwe, has a key role for the communities concerned. The Mbira/Sansi consists of a wooden board with metal keys attached on top and is sometimes mounted on a calabash/wooden resonator. The instrument produces a fluid percussive sound considered to be mystic, tranquil and enchanting. The music played on the instrument is characterized by its cyclical nature with songs that convey important messages condemning negative behaviour, for example. The Mbira/Sansi acts as a ‘weapon’ to denounce violence and other societal ills.

Malta - Il-Ftira, culinary art and culture of flattened sourdough bread in Malta. Il-Ftira, culinary art and culture of flattened sourdough bread in Malta, is a key part of the cultural heritage of the Maltese archipelago. Ftira has a thick crust and light internal texture, characterized by an open crumb. The halved loaf is filled with Mediterranean-type ingredients such as olive oil, tomatoes, capers, and olives, with seasonal variants. Eating ftira as a filled snack or appetiser fosters a shared identity in Malta, and skilled bakers are required to shape it by hand. Apprentices learn the practice in bakeries and various other types of training programmes are also available.

Paraguay - Practices and traditional knowledge of Terere in the culture of Pohã Ñana, Guaraní ancestral drink in Paraguay. Terere is a traditional drink prepared in a jug or thermos, in which cold water is mixed with Pohã Ñana medicinal herbs crushed in a mortar. It is served in a glass pre-filled with yerba mate and sucked with a bombilla. Preparing the Terere is an intimate ritual based on a series of pre-established codes and each Pohã Ñana herb has health benefits linked to popular wisdom passed down through the generations. The practice fosters social cohesion and helps raise awareness of the rich Garani cultural and botanical heritage.

Poland, Belarus - Tree beekeeping culture. Tree beekeeping culture includes knowledge, skills, practices, rituals and beliefs connected to wild bee-breeding in tree hives or log hives in forest areas. Tree beekeepers take care of bees in a special way by trying to minimize any interference with their natural life cycle. Tree beekeeping culture has given rise to numerous social practices and culinary and medicinal traditions. Transmission takes place mainly within tree beekeeping families and through brotherhoods. The practice fosters a sense of community and a shared awareness of responsibility to the environment.

The Representative List seeks to enhance visibility for the traditional practices and know-how of communities. It now numbers 492 elements.