The eleventh session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was held on 17 and 18 June 2026 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

Over the course of two days, representatives of the 185 States Parties to the Convention discussed issues related to the safeguarding of living heritage around the world and the future of the Convention.

The main items on the agenda included the periodic reporting mechanisms under the Convention and the proposed amendments to the Operational Directives for its implementation, the Plan for the use of the resources of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, the accreditation of non-governmental organizations, and the election of new members of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The session also considered the report of the Intergovernmental Committee to the General Assembly covering the period from January 2024 to December 2025, the report of the Secretariat on its activities during the same period, as well as other items included on the agenda.

During the session, the General Assembly adopted decisions on the various agenda items, including the proposed revisions to the Operational Directives, the use of the resources of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, the accreditation of non-governmental organizations, and the election of new members of the Intergovernmental Committee.

Photo: Eleventh session of the General Assembly UNESCO