On 17 November 2023, four key partners of the UNESCO intersectoral programme on Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in education participated in a panel titled ‘Teaching and learning with living heritage: a driver of educational relevance, innovative heritage safeguarding and well-being’. This panel was part of the Partners’ Forum held during the 42nd Session of the UNESCO General Conference. This initiative aims to leverage the collective wisdom and expertise of UNESCO’s stakeholders.

The panelists showcased different initiatives implemented to improve resilience in times of crisis, strengthen global citizenship and peace education in line with target 4.7 of the 2030 Agenda, while supporting innovative approaches to safeguard living heritage. The panel aim was to raise public awareness about the synergies and opportunities that living heritage and education offer to each other, and to inspire new partnerships for more projects to meet the growing demand. They presented UNESCO projects implemented in Namibia, Ukraine, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia and the Pacific.

Partnerships are key to implement the UNESCO intersectoral programme on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in formal and non-formal education. The programme aims to integrate this dynamic living heritage across the school curriculum and non-formal education initiatives, as well as supporting its integration into policies and frameworks, such as the UNESCO Framework for Culture and Arts Education.

Harnessing the synergies between living heritage and education will increase educational relevance and contribute to attain the Sustainable Development Goal 4, while supporting a broader and better safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.