Following a sustained campaign to protect its status, Techno in Berlin has been added to the UNESCO cultural heritage list. Concerned that the city’s techno scene could not survive without the added protection, a collective of DJs, festival organizers and fans lobbied for the addition of the music genre. As of March 13, Berlin Techno has officially joined five other entries on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Germany, including mountaineering, fruit wine, and a Bavarian parade called Kirchseeoner Perchtenlauf.
Rave The Planet, a non-profit organization based in Berlin dedicated to the art, culture, and love for electronic music, used their official Facebook account to express their excitement over the inclusion of Techno in the UNESCO list. “We did it! #TechnoCulture in Berlin is officially recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage! Congratulations to all the cultural creators who have shaped and contributed to Berlin’s techno culture. A big thank you to everyone involved who has been with us on this journey since Hans Cousto’s initial idea in 2011. Special thanks to the Expert Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage at the German UNESCO Commission!” the organization wrote.
Reports about the closure of 100 clubs in Berlin over the last decade fueled the campaign to secure the status of Berlin techno. Clubcommission, a network of Berlin’s clubs and cultural promoters, tweeted “This is another milestone for Berlin techno producers, artists, club operators and event organizers.”
Minister of State for Culture, Claudia Roth, expressed how Berlin techno culture represents values such as diversity, respect, and cosmopolitanism. The Rave The Planet campaign will help to ensure that the city retains its status as an important hub of techno music and culture for years to come
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