After catastrophe in the Himalayas, UNESCO and Thame’s community rebuild resilience through living heritage

Over the course of the project, more than 30 local stakeholders—including Indigenous youth, women’s groups, local government representatives, and monastery leaders (Lama gurus)—were engaged and capacitated. Through in-depth discussions, community members validated a draft inventory of eight Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) elements identified by experts in collaboration with local youth volunteers. These elements included ‘Tho’ (food and associated skills), ‘Kshara’ (traditional craftsmanship, skills, and technologies), ‘Nawa and Dee’ (knowledge about nature and the universe), as well as ‘Dhubchoa’, ‘Mani Rildhup’, ‘Lhosar’, and ‘Lotok Bulo’, representing key social, ritual, and festive practices. The inventory is now progressing toward inclusion in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Nepal.