On Thursday, September 24, 2026, the National Commission of Romania for UNESCO hosted two international seminars dedicated to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and transmitting living traditions. Held in a hybrid format, the event forms part of the 11th edition of the Kurultai International Festival, organized by the Tatar Democratic Union in Bucharest from September 21 to 27, 2026, under the patronage of the National Commission of Romania for UNESCO and with the support of the Ministry of Culture.

The sessions were moderated by Dr. Ioana Baskerville, National Focal Point for the UNESCO 2003 Convention and President of the National Commission for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage within Romania’s Ministry of Culture, and Codrin Tăut, Culture Expert at the National Commission of Romania for UNESCO.

Bringing together researchers, specialists, and community representatives from Romania and abroad, the seminars offered an interdisciplinary approach to the relationships between heritage, memory, and cultural identity. Presentations examined the role of traditional games and crafts in transmitting community knowledge and practices, the contribution of education to engaging younger generations with heritage, and the use of digital technologies in its documentation and promotion.

The case studies presented included the Turkish-Tatar heritage of Dobruja, the traditions of the Karaim people of Ukraine, the revitalization of the game of ulama, and the intergenerational transmission of crafts through vocational education and training. The diversity of topics enabled participants to explore distinct cultural contexts alongside shared concerns regarding the continuity of living heritage and community participation in its safeguarding.