The Autonomous Region of Madeira joined the commemorations of the International Day for Intangible Cultural Heritage, proclaimed by UNESCO, celebrating the diversity of knowledge and practices that form the cultural heritage of communities.
The Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Culture, through the Regional Directorate for Culture, organized at the Torre do Capitão – Historical and Museological Centre of Santo Amaro a morning dedicated to sharing experiences with communities and practitioners of Madeira's intangible cultural heritage.
The event included a roundtable discussion «Intangible Heritage: Voices, Knowledge, and Practices», moderated by anthropologist Élia de Sousa, featuring representatives of intangible heritage expressions from Madeira, such as the Procession of Ashes from Câmara de Lobos (Maria Cármen de Freitas), the Romagem de São Pedro from Lombada, Santa Cruz (Carla Pereira), and the Knowledge of Madeiran Paving (Tomás Freitas).
These manifestations are the result of the work by the Regional Directorate for Culture in monitoring application processes for the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, focusing on the documentation, safeguarding, and valorization of cultural expressions.
The program also featured the participation of the Xarabanda Musical and Cultural Association, with the group Cantigas Cá de Dentro (João Viveiros, Helena Camacho, Rui Camacho, Tozé Cardoso), and the exhibition Intangible Heritage: Knowledge that Inspires, showcasing interpretations by students from the Francisco Franco Secondary School.
Celebrating intangible cultural heritage means recognizing a living heritage, continuously transformed and passed down by communities from generation to generation.
