The 42nd session of the UNESCO General Conference in November 2023 proclaimed 17 October as the international day of intangible cultural heritage. The theme for 2026 is ‘People protect living heritage and enrich cultural diversity and human creativity’.
To celebrate this third edition of the event, the Museums Service of the General Directorate of Culture-Príncipe de Viana Institution is organising a visibility campaign for this living heritage. Since 5 October, a promotional spot created by artist Myriam Cameros has been displayed in urban spaces to encourage citizens to engage with this newly established international observance and learn about the intangible cultural heritage of Navarra in its various forms.
As part of the celebrations, an audiovisual projection session is scheduled for Tuesday, 20 October, at 19:00 in the auditorium of the Navarra Museum. Admission is free until capacity is reached. The session will feature four documentaries produced in recent years by the Ethnological Museum of Navarra ‘Julio Caro Baroja’, aimed at involving the Navarra community in this rich cultural heritage, which remains unknown to many.
The programme includes the following documentaries: the cattle brand of the Valley of Erro (17 minutes), the Navarra jota (13 minutes), the game of laxoa (8 minutes), and the City Body of Pamplona-Iruña (15 minutes). The latter three have been declared Cultural Heritage of the Community Foral.
The projection will be introduced by Susana Irigaray, director of the Museums Service, and Mikel Ozkoidi, head of the Ethnological and Intangible Heritage Office. They will discuss the work undertaken by institutions regarding this cultural heritage, the challenges faced, collaboration with heritage communities, and the importance of expert dissemination to ensure that everyone can appreciate, participate in, and enjoy it, thereby safeguarding and transmitting it.
These activities aim to raise awareness among citizens about their crucial role in the safeguarding and transmission of this rich cultural heritage, encouraging individuals and communities to claim this legacy as part of their cultural rights.
