The adoption of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in October 2003 marked the culmination of a long endeavor undertaken by this international body to safeguard intangible heritage, a fragile and vulnerable heritage due to its intrinsic characteristics. The first step toward achieving this goal was the Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity Programme, under which 90 cultural expressions and spaces were recognized across three editions (2001, 2003, and 2005). However, a normative instrument was needed to establish legal mechanisms for safeguarding this living heritage, essential to the cultural identity of communities and peoples.

It is in this context that, guided by the experience gained through the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, an international legal instrument was developed. This instrument recognizes that all forms of living heritage deserve equal respect and, furthermore, positions it as a driving force for sustainable development processes, not only for the communities that bear it, but for humanity as a whole. The 2003 Convention was ratified by the Mexican State on December 14, 2005.

This fact conferred upon it a series of rights and obligations regarding the safeguarding of this heritage, adopting as its own the objectives of this international instrument: a) the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), b) respect for the ICH of communities, groups, and individuals, and c) raising awareness at the local, national, and international levels about the importance of ICH and its reciprocal recognition. Within this framework, the National Institute of Anthropology and History, along with other federal government agencies and the cultural bearers themselves, has represented the Mexican State before the 2003 Convention, promoting the implementation of the spirit of the Convention within Mexican territory and for the benefit of the communities that bear it. Almost twenty years after its official adoption, the Convention has been ratified by 180 countries, demonstrating the interest of governments in safeguarding their intangible heritage for its transmission to future generations.