Laos nominates Larb for UNESCO intangible cultural heritage status
Beloved spicy staple of Southeast Asia is set for a historic milestone as Laos seeks to include "Larb" on the global cultural heritage list by 2026.
- Laos has officially nominated its popular spicy dish, "Larb," for inclusion on UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- The nomination is scheduled for consideration by the UNESCO committee in late 2026.
- It has been clarified that the registration is not a claim of copyright or exclusive ownership of the dish.
A spicy dish loved by people across Southeast Asia is set to become a world heritage item.
Recently, Laos proposed "Larb" for inclusion in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in late 2026.
It is emphasised that this registration is not a "copyright to claim ownership"; anyone can still eat and sell it as usual.
The Department of Cultural Promotion, Ministry of Culture, confirmed that Laos has submitted "Larb" for registration as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity with UNESCO.
This information is verified by facts appearing on the UNESCO website.
The nomination of "Larb" from Laos is scheduled for consideration by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in late 2026, the same period as Thailand’s "Chud Thai" (Thai national costume) nomination.
In accordance with the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, member states are encouraged to propose intangible cultural heritage items located within their territories to UNESCO.
Even if such cultural heritage also exists within the territories of other countries, the registration of intangible cultural heritage is not a copyright or an assertion of exclusive ownership.
