Czech Republic

• ©National Insitute of Folk Culture (NÚLK)
• Slovácko Verbŭnk, Recruit Dances

The Czech Republic joined UNESCO on February 22, 1993.

The Czech National Library, which owns six million volumes, was the first laureate of the UNESCO/Jikji Memory of the World Prize for its contribution to the preservation and accessibility of documentary heritage. Two of the country’s documentary collections were added to the Memory of the World Register in 2007: medieval manuscripts of the Czech Reformation and Russian, Ukrainian and Belorussian émigré periodicals 1918-1945.

The Czech Republic was one of the countries behind the drafting of the International Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Heritage. Its own "Slovácko Verbŭnk, Recruit Dances" were proclaimed Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage in 2005.

Six biosphere reserves in the country are actively implementing conservation, traditional management and educational projects.