By Jinaud Augustin, Juno7, March 17, 2026
In a historic and joint effort, Benin and Haiti officially submitted a nomination dossier on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, seeking to have the arts and social practices of Vodou inscribed on UNESCO's prestigious Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is a major event for the recognition of this heritage, which is too often overlooked and stigmatized.
Haiti and Benin have taken a decisive step by submitting the nomination entitled "The Living Arts and Social Practices of Vodou in Benin and Haiti." This binational initiative aims to highlight a shared cultural heritage, born on the shores of the Gulf of Benin and reinvented in the Caribbean following the transatlantic slave trade.
Far from clichés and reductive representations, the nomination submitted by the Beninese and Haitian experts emphasizes the profoundly human, social, and artistic dimensions of Vodou. It underscores its fundamental role as a vehicle for social cohesion, intergenerational transmission, and cultural resilience for the communities that practice it. The richness of its artistic expressions—music, dance, song, and visual arts—is also highlighted as an essential component of this living heritage.
In a statement obtained by our newspaper, Haiti's National Bureau of Ethnology (BNE) commended the extensive work of two cultural heritage experts, Ricarson Dorcé from Haiti and Paul Akogni from Benin, who were instrumental in drafting and compiling the dossier. Their work accurately documented the diversity and vitality of these practices, from ritual ceremonies to the contemporary artistic expressions that have emerged from them.
"To carry out this ambitious project, the institutions have put in place an inclusive and participatory approach, in perfect accordance with the requirements of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)," explains Dr. Louis Marie Saintil of the Delegation of Haiti to UNESCO.
The National Bureau of Ethnology (BNE) mobilized its technicians to produce a documentary illustrating the richness of Vodou arts. Crucially, meticulous work was undertaken, with the support of Haiti's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, to engage with Haitian Vodou communities. "The objective was to obtain their free, prior, and informed consent, an essential step that ensures the initiative originates from those most directly involved, the guardians of this tradition," explains Erol Josué, Director of the National Bureau of Ethnology.
This submission is much more than a simple administrative procedure. It constitutes an act of historical justice and restored pride.
“Through this joint initiative, Benin and Haiti are not only seeking to protect and promote a precious heritage. They also intend to contribute to global intercultural dialogue and the recognition of cultural diversity, by offering the world another perspective on this philosophy and way of life,” emphasizes Dr. Maryse Cyprien of the Delegation of Haiti to UNESCO.
The dossier is now in the hands of UNESCO's evaluation committee. The final decision regarding this highly anticipated inscription is expected to be announced at the intergovernmental committee session in 2027.
Meanwhile, this submission already marks a symbolic victory for all those working towards the rehabilitation and transmission of Vodou artistic heritage.
Posted April 1, 2026