Legal Protcetion of ICH Internationally

Several countries, as well as UNESCO, are making efforts to protect intangible culture. Most notable are Japan (which instituted a law in 1950 protecting intangible culture) and the South Korea (1962).

In 2003 UNESCO adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. This went into effect on April 20, 2006. UNESCO has also created other intangible culture programs, such as a list called Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This list began in 2001 with 19 items and a further 28 were listed in 2003 and another 43 in 2005. It was superseded in 2008 by the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.

Source: Wikipedia