UNESCO agrees to add alpinism to cultural treasures list

Alpinism is defined as the art of being able to climb a rock face unassisted, using specialized equipment.

Following an initiative by France, Italy, and Switzerland, UN agency UNESCO's intergovernmental meeting in Bogota on Wednesday agreed to add alpinism to the list of intangible cultural treasures.

Alpinism is defined as the art of being able to climb a rock face unassisted, using specialized equipment.

According to the sponsor countries, mountain climbing began in the central Alpine area encompassing their famous peaks: the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, and Monte Rosa – the second highest Alpine peak.

Above all, it's characterized by a shared love of the mountains and a sense of community among enthusiasts in Europe, Latin and North America, Japan, and New Zealand.

The sport's first star is widely regarded as the French explorer Jacques Balmat, who in August 1786, climbed to the summit of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain, for the first time, without the aid of ropes, ice axes or crampons, and on a route so dangerous that it was abandoned in 1820.