In 2020 the blind community started a movement to get Braille recognised as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Now the process has begun to include the usage and learning of Braille in the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity which hopefully will take place next year. EBU members can take part in this process.
On the initiative of the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted (DBSV) the usage of Braille was recognised as an intangible cultural heritage in Germany since 2020. Similarly, on the initiative of Joël Hardy from the association “La Culture de l’Art” the usage of Braille was also recognised as an intangible cultural heritage in France in 2023. Currently organisations in the following countries have expressed their interest to apply for taking the use of Braille in their national lists:
Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia. And the process has reached different stages in those countries.
This is different from the world heritage sites where buildings or other material cultural assets can be recognised as cultural heritage. Intangible cultural heritage must be recognised first by a national UNESCO body and there is also the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity with a special process of acceptance on application by at least two countries. The Braille system itself can not be recognised as cultural heritage in the meaning of UNESCO. It must be the use and the transmission of Braille which shows that this intangible cultural asset is alive and is used by people.
In 2023 DBSV and La Culture de l’Art proposed to their respective governments in France and Germany to apply to include the usage of Braille in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity worldwide and in October 2024 both countries agreed to start the application.
The preparation of the nomination by France and Germany started in March 2025. The application documents are in preparation. There has to be an application form, photos, a video and supporting letters from certain stakeholders. The application will be sent before the end of March 2026 to UNESCO.
EBU member organisations can support this process. Organisations should apply to their national UNESCO committee to include the usage and learning of Braille in the national list of intangible cultural heritage. This approach can be undertaken at any time, independent from the nomination and acceptance to the worldwide list. DBSV can support this by sending text examples to use for a national application.
After the nomination by France and Germany to the list of humanity and the acceptance by UNESCO other countries can join this entry and be part of the acknowledgement of Braille worldwide. The prerequisite for joining the worldwide list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity is that Braille is already in the national list.
EBU member organisations can contact DBSV to express their interest in getting Braille listed as cultural heritage (see contact details below).
Having the use of Braille in the representative list of humanity will not solve all challenges we have nowadays in ensuring that Braille is used by every blind person. But it will be a great proof that humanity supports the use of Braille and a recognition of Braille which can give us motivation and energy in its’ promotion.
Contact
Deutscher Blinden- und Sehbehindertenverband (DBSV)
German federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted
Reiner Delgado, Head of Social Affairs
Rungestrasse 19 – 10179 Berlin - Germany
Phone: (049-30) 285387-240
Mail: r.delgado@dbsv.org - Internet: www.dbsv.org