Minister nominates Danish folk schools and Fanø traditions for UNESCO

Danish culture minister Zenia Stampe has put Denmark’s folk high schools and Fanø’s folk dances, folk music and traditional costumes forward as the country’s next candidates for UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, DR reports.

“I hope the folk high schools can inspire the rest of the world. I hope Fanø’s tradition can first and foremost inspire the rest of Denmark,” Stampe said.

The minister said the folk high schools were selected because they have “made young people more whole” since the 19th century.

Fanø’s dances, costumes and music are described as a source of local pride that connects the past and present. Residents still play the music, perform the dances and wear the costumes on festive occasions.

If either candidate is accepted, it will be the first time a purely Danish cultural tradition has been added to the list. In 2025, a vote organised by then-culture minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt selected the folk high schools ahead of hot dog stands and handball. Fanø’s traditions were not included in that vote.

Stampe said handball is a living culture that is not at risk of disappearing, but added that many people may not realise their own regions also have old dances and costumes.

UNESCO, the United Nations organisation for culture and education, currently lists traditions including Neapolitan pizza-making, Jamaican reggae music and Finnish sauna culture. The Danish realm is represented by Greenlandic drum dancing and the Nordic clinker boat tradition, which it shares with countries including Norway and Sweden.

Denmark can next submit applications to UNESCO in 2027 and 2029.