Regional Workshop Transhumance as Intangible Cultural Heritage: Valorization and implications for pastoral stakeholders

Transhumance is an important activity for the Mediterranean, with multiple economic, social and environmental benefits for most of its mountain areas. Historically, transhumance has been practiced for centuries as a way to profit from rich vegetation in mountains during summer in the highlands and mild winters in the lowlands in winter. Throughout centuries, transhumant people have developed a typical production system comprising significant elements of Traditional Ecological Knowledge, traditions, norms and products.

 
“Transhumant Livestock Farming” was inscribed on the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017. The element includes multiple characteristics of transhumance including the movement of flocks, specific elements of uses of land, labor and capital, products, customs and other characteristics related to the practice of transhumance and transhumant people. “Transhumance, the seasonal droving of livestock along migratory routes in the Mediterranean and in the Alps” was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019. The inscription was the result of the common effort and file submission jointly by Austria, Greece and Italy. This element encompasses TEK relevant to the three countries, which shares many common features, despite the diversity of their territories. An extended version of this inscription was jointly submitted in 2022 by 10 countries – Albania, Andorra, Austria, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Romania, Spain.

The objective of the meeting is to deepen the understanding about the multiple contributions of transhumance systems in various Mediterranean settings under the light of ICH inscription. It envisages to bring together scientists and practitioners from various backgrounds and areas in order to build an integrated transdisciplinary image of how transhumance and its ICH can be valorized for the benefit of farmers, value chain actors and the society in general.