Deeply rooted in the population Unesco designates Swiss tradition as "intangible world cultural heritage"
Yodelling is as much a part of the acoustic image of the Swiss mountains as cowbells in the Alps. Today, Unesco has decided that the primal song of the mountains will be added to the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
11.12.2025, 05:45
11.12.2025, 06:28
SDA
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- Early Thursday morning Central European Time, yodeling was inscribed by Unesco on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- The decision was taken in New Delhi by Unesco's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, as announced by the Federal Office of Culture.
From Swiss tradition to world cultural heritage: early on Thursday morning Central European Time, yodelling was inscribed by Unesco on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The decision was taken in New Delhi by Unesco's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, as announced by the Federal Office of Culture (FOC).
In its decision, Unesco emphasized the quality of the submitted dossier and the solid participatory process that led to the candidacy, according to the BAK. The application dossier was compiled with the help of experts and representatives of yodelling organizations.
Loyalty and passion honored
As the "emblematic song of Switzerland", yodelling encompasses a wide variety of artistic forms of expression and is deeply rooted in the population. Over 12,000 yodellers are members of one of the 711 groups of the Swiss Yodelling Association.
The practice is also cultivated outside of traditional associations and choirs, the BAK continues. Contemporary artists are also getting involved in yodelling, "which confirms the vitality of a tradition that is constantly evolving".
Hector Herzig, Central Secretary of the Yodelling Association, described the inclusion in the register to Keystone-SDA as a "wonderful sign of recognition". "It recognizes the solidarity, passion and cultural identity that has shaped yodelling in Switzerland for generations."
Yodelling is practised all over the world
Yodelling is not limited to Switzerland, however. Alpine yodelling, which is also native to Bavaria and Austria, was first spread by Tyrolean singing groups in the middle of the 19th century, according to the Swiss application dossier. Yodelling is also practised in Central Africa, Northern Europe and Georgia. The polyphonic song from Georgia made it onto the list of intangible cultural heritage back in 2008.
There are various theories about the origins of Alpine yodeling. "There are around seven different hypotheses as to where yodeling comes from," Nadja Räss, professor and head of folk music and yodeling at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, told Keystone-SDA. "My favorite hypothesis is the 'affect hypothesis'. This states that yodelling is an expression of emotions."
Several traditions are already on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. So far, the winegrowers' festival in Vevey was inscribed in 2016, the Basel carnival in 2017, dealing with the risk of avalanches in 2018 (together with Austria), the Holy Week processions in Mendrisio in 2019, watchmaking and art mechanics in 2020 (together with France) and, since 2023, the Alpine season.
