Falconry’s official inscription at UNESCO’s 5th Intergovernmental Committee in Nairobi last November is an immense achievement encompassing the largest nomination in the history of the Convention, 11 nations. To recognise the endeavours of the falconry community FACE and IAF joined with European Parliament’s Sustainable Hunting Intergroup at the heart of Europe, Strasbourg, 19th January 2011.

Representatives of 16 countries gathered with EU decision makers to launch global celebrations. The event began with photos in the European Parliament building and continued with a colloquium to present and discuss the impact of UNESCO’s recognition of falconry as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The international line-up of speakers shared their expert views on falconry, hunting, culture and politics. Guests discussed the impact of this recognition for the future of falconry and its potential for hunting in Europe. Falconers, fellow hunters and government officials flew in from as far as the USA and Qatar to join Europeans in their reflections and celebrations. It has played a pivotal role in multiple facets of our culture and the beauty and benefits of falconry have often been unseen, underestimated and misunderstood. Falconry glows with potential for our future, an unbroken thread of culture binding man to his natural world.

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United Nations declare ancient hunting as global cultural heritage

“FALCONRY is a Living Human Heritage”

Today in Nairobi, Kenya, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage added Falconry, a traditional hunting method, to its List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Since before the time of the pyramids, over 4000 years, falconry as a hunting method has retained an unbroken thread of tradition. Fathers have been passing down skills to their children for nearly 200 generations in a chain of intangible heritage, bringing this art to us, the 21st century.

Press Release Falconry and UNESCO.pdf
Press Release Falconry and UNESCO.doc

The International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds of Prey (IAF) is delighted to announce that Falconry, an ancient hunting art that has captured the imagination of mankind for over 4000 years, has been placed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at a ceremony in Nairobi today 16th November 2010.

Falconry is the art of hunting with trained birds of prey, a tradition that has appeared in a host of historical settings from the royal courts of Asia to Medieval Europe and on into the New World. 

In recent times, falconers have played a vital role in the conservation of wild raptors and their prey species, while passing this heritage on to subsequent generations and instilling an appreciation of wildlife and tradition in their children. This recognition by UNESCO is of major importance to anyone with an interest in heritage or conservation; two areas under threat and ones we feel are valued highly by your readership and editorial team. Therefore we would ask you consider this UNESCO announcement for content in a forthcoming edition of your paper.

Falconry and bird of prey-related stories are eye catching in any publication; even people with little interest in animals are captivated by the noble beauty of eagles, hawks and falcons. We offer some hi-resolution images of such birds for use with any coverage you could provide for this recent UNESCO announcement. For further information, I refer you to the attached press release. If I can be of any help whatsoever, do not hesitate to contact me on +353 87 133 0922

Yours sincerely,
Gary Timbrell (Ireland)
PRO for the International Association
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Dears friend falconers,

the Czech Falconry Club would like to invite you to the 43rd annual meeting in Opočno held this year from the  6th - 10th of October 2010.



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