Some 80 ministers of culture are to meet in Istanbul on September 16 and 17 to debate the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, highlighting its importance in the maintenance of the world’s cultural diversity. Intangible cultural heritage has been defined as; languages, performing arts, music, social and religious rituals, oral traditions and traditional knowledge. According to UNESCO’s Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, adopted in 2001, such living examples deserve to be safeguarded in the interests of cultural diversity, which ‘as a source of exchange, innovation and creativity’ is a factor in development. UNESCO has already proclaimed 19 cultural spaces or forms of popular expression as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. These first masterpieces include; the Sicilian puppet theatre (Italy), the Oruro carnival (Bolivia), Kunqu opera (China), the music of the transverse trumpets of Tagbana community (Côte d'Ivoire) and the cultural space of Djamaa el-Fna Square, in Marrakesh (Morocco). Organised by UNESCO the Turkish government, the ministers will participate in a round table discussion on the theme ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage – a Mirror of Cultural Diversity, aimed at determining what action should be taken to safeguard such heritage. The complete list of masterpieces can be consulted online at:://www.unesco.org/culture/heritage/intangible/index.shtml