Book Chapter Publication on the Nomination of Madeira Wine Traditions

We are pleased to announce the publication of the chapter “From Principles to Practice: The Nomination of Madeira Wine Traditions as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”, featured in the volume Experimentations of Heritage (Experimentations Series, vol. 5) — edited by Fraga, Cardoso, Quevedo et al., and published by Evangraf, Porto Alegre, 2025 (pp. 360–390).

Authored by António José Marques da Silva, Naidea Nunes Nunes, and Rossana Andreia Neves dos Santos, this chapter offers a unique behind-the-scenes look at the nomination process led by the multidisciplinary team at the University of Madeira, aiming to inscribe Madeira Wine Traditions on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as defined by the 2003 UNESCO Convention.

Among the main points addressed are:

• The trajectory of implementing concrete actions in line with the principles established by UNESCO, aimed at preparing a nomination that is both formally robust and culturally legitimate.
• The evolution of the dynamics of heritage since the entry into force of the Convention (in 2003), transforming the arenas of cultural preservation.
• The motivations behind this bottom-up initiative, and the local specificities that shaped its strategy.
• The integration of Intangible Cultural Heritage values into fieldwork, highlighting that the inscription is not an end in itself, but an important step towards building a heritage community, essential to ensure the long-term viability of Madeira Wine traditions.

The authors conclude with a sentence that sums up the entire purpose of this journey: “Heritage-making is not about saving what remains of our past, but about choosing the future we want to build together.”

This chapter is essential reading for understanding the scope, ambition, and deep significance of the Madeira Wine Traditions nomination.

You can download the full book here.

How to cite: Silva, A. J. M. da; Nunes, N. N., & Santos, R. A. N. dos (2025), Dos princípios à prática: candidatura das tradições do vinho Madeira a património cultural imaterial da Humanidade, in Fraga, h. J. de, Cardoso, C. S. C.; Quevedo, É. R. et al. (Org.) Experimentações do patrimônio (Série Experimentações: v. 5): interfaces e conexões Atlânticas, Porto Alegre : Evangraf, pp. 360-390.