The window to submit an element of living heritage on behalf of your community closes at midnight on Friday, 27 March. This is an important opportunity for rural communities to formally recognise and safeguard the cultural practices that define them.

Across the hunting, shooting and wider countryside sectors members are working hard to document traditions passed down through generations. These submissions go beyond field sports, capturing the wider cultural landscape: local knowledge, seasonal practices, wildlife stewardship, craftsmanship and community identity. A full list of submissions made so far can be found here. 

This is widely being seen as a rare chance to ensure rural traditions are properly understood, valued and preserved within an internationally recognised framework. Given the detailed nature of the process, many groups are compiling evidence and histories to strengthen their applications and some of you may have been asked to confirm your community support for specific submissions.

Need more time?

For those needing more time, it is possible to request a two-week extension, provided the following steps are completed before midnight on 27 March:

• Start your submission online
  Each submission must be initiated in the UNESCO system - find the submission form here.
• Complete at least up to Page 3
  Once Page 3 is completed, a “save for later” link will be generated.
• Request your extension by email
  Email: livingheritage@unesco.org.uk
  Copy in/CC: ruralpursuitsinfo@gmail.com

Your email must include:

• The title of your submission (element)
• The “save for later” link

Important:

• This process applies to each individual submission (element)
• If submitting multiple elements, each must be started separately, with its own save link
• Extension requests must clearly cover each individual element
• Extensions are granted per submission, not per organisation

This process ensures that as many rural voices as possible can be included, helping to secure long-term recognition for the UK’s living countryside heritage.

You can read more about the Countryside Alliance’s involvement in the original consultation process here.

Photo credit: Geraldine Rand