La candidatura de la Festa o Misteri d’Elx a la proclamación como Obra Maestra del Patrimonio Oral e Inmaterial de la Humanidad: preparación y retos enfrentados

In 1998, the Generalitat Valenciana and the Elche City Council promoted a double nomination for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, made up of a cultural landscape, the Palmeral, and an element of the intangible cultural heritage, the Festa or Misteri d’Elx (Mystery Play of Elche). The article analyzes the difficulties experienced and the way in which the Festa ended up being a candidate for its proclamation as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, in the first call for the submision of candidatures. The patrimonial significance of the intense festive celebration by the citizens of Elche of the proclamation of the Mystery Play in 2001 is also assessed.