02101nas a2200253   4500000000100000008004100001653002500042653001600067653004000083653002200123653001300145653004000158653001300198653001700211653003000228653001800258100001700276245007200293856011800365300001200483490000600495520132600501022002001827                                       d10aChristmas traditions10aCompetition10aEisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru [EGC]10aLanguage festival10aMan Lwyd10aOr the National Eisteddfod of Wales10aRevivals10aStep-dancing10aSuper Furry Animals (SFA)10aWelsh culture1 aDavid Howell00aThe intangible Cultural Heritage of Wales: a Need for Safeguarding?  uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84891053670&partnerID=40&md5=ecd6e7c245759469b45994d2891fdec3  a103-1160 v83 aIn the last decade, appearances of the Mari Lwyd have steadily increased during winter time in Wales. A tradition based around the decoration of a horse s skull, regulated competitive verse and song, and community integration, would in many other parts of the world be acknowledged and celebrated as intangible cultural heritage. Yet, while the number of nations to have ratified the UNESCO Convention on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage continues to grow on an annual basis, no such examples can be found in Wales however, or any other part of the United Kingdom, due to a continuing position of reticence from the Westminster government toward the convention. Does this lack of ratification indicate that Wales is not home to any examples of intangible cultural heritage? This article explores the notion of whether Wales is home to any valid forms of intangible cultural heritage, before challenging whether the same vulnerability seen in many of the international examples of intangible heritage can be illustrated in Wales. Ultimately this will argue that Welsh intangible cultural heritage is an important, living component of contemporary Welsh culture, and that UK ratification of the treaty, rather than being something that might be desired in Wales, should in fact be considered as a necessity.  a19753586 (ISSN)