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RESEARCH

''Drawing up inventories is one of the specific obligations outlined in the Intangible Cultural Heritage UNESCO Convention and in the Operational Directives for its implementation. Inventories are integral to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage because they can raise awareness of intangible cultural heritage and its importance for individual and collective identities. The process of inventorying intangible cultural heritage and making those inventories accessible to the public can also encourage creativity and self-respect in the communities and individuals where expressions and practices of intangible cultural heritage originate. Inventories can also provide a basis for formulating concrete plans to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage concerned... Inventory development and updating is an ongoing process.''

https://ich.unesco.org/en/inventorying-intangible-heritage-00080

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Safeguarding Israel's intangible cultural heritage requires action in the following areas:

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Research and Documentation – Conducting extensive research and documentation of existing elements of Israel's intangible cultural heritage. This involves studying community life within Jewish communities in Israel and around the world, the archives of Jewish and Israeli history, the Bible, and other historical documents related to the Jewish people. This effort works toward developing an active international network dedicated to researching Israel’s intangible cultural heritage. Researchers and community representatives can facilitate interactions between community members and researchers, ensuring that inventories are as comprehensive and complete as possible.

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Identification – Identification is the process of describing one or more specific elements of intangible cultural heritage within their own context and distinguishing them from others. Intangible heritage elements must be well-defined in the inventories to facilitate the implementation of safeguarding measures. Those elements recognized by communities as particularly important to their identity, or as highly representative of their intangible cultural heritage, may be inventoried first. The viability of inventoried elements should be clearly indicated, and any threats to their survival must be outlined.

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Listing – Once the elements of intangible cultural heritage have been identified, the affected communities and Israeli institutions may decide to launch safeguarding projects. ICH-ISRAEL compiles a comprehensive list of all identified elements, along with a dedicated list of elements that require urgent safeguarding measures.

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Classification: The inventory uses a classification system based on the main domains of intangible cultural heritage.

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