Patrimonio Inmaterial en el Ecuador: Una Construcción Colectiva (Coordinación)

Traditions, in contexts of geopolitical fragility, have been affected by acculturative practices. These, together with consumerism and mercantilism, pass, silently, to the backroom of the monocultural empire. With the Declaration of Intangible Heritage made at the Paris Convention in 2003, and ratified by Ecuador in 2005, a greater awareness of the importance of safeguarding social memory, the collective heritage of peoples, was created. This text documents citizen participation in this task of caring for knowledge and practices that are part of the daily life of communities, cities, towns and collectives; therefore, part of the intangible heritage and cultural legacy for present and future generations.