The 5^th session of the Intergovernmental Committee on Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage that deals with the issues of identification, preservation and development of intangible practices of humankind, was held on 3-8 December, 2012 in UNESCO headquarters (Paris).

The Ukrainian delegation at the session was headed by Yevhen Udod – Head of Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, who made a presentation of the first Ukrainian element of intangible heritage – Petrikivsky painting - expected to be inscribed on the Representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity in 2013.

During the session the head of the Ukrainian delegation held separate meetings with UNESCO senior officials as well as those of the Committee, namely with the Assistant Director General for Culture Francesco Bandarin, Secretary of the Convention on Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage Cecile Duvelle, as well as newly elected President of the Committee, Deputy Minister for Culture of Azerbaijan Sevda Mamedaliyeva.

An all-round exchange of experience on priority issues regarding preservation of intangible heritage elements having outstanding impact on national identity was discussed during the meetings with the representatives of several Member-States of the Committee, namely Japan, Turkey, Czech Republic and Uruguay.