The decision was announced at the general assembly of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Caretos are masked young men dressed in colourful wool costumes and wearing brass, leather or wooden masks and rattles on their belts, wielding a large stick, who roam the streets of villages in Podence during Entrudo, or Carnival, terrorizing young girls and robbing taverns.

Portugal already has fado music, Alentejo cante choral music, the Mediterranean Diet, falconry and the so-called ‘Bonecos de Estremoz’ (ceramic figurines made for centuries in Estremoz, in the Alentejo) recognised as UNESCO heritage.

The ‘Winter festivities, Carnival of Podence’ was the only application submitted by Portugal’s government to represent the country at this meeting of the International Committee of UNESCO, the United Nations Body for Science, Culture and Education.