Home / Arts and Entertainment / Switzerland's Yodel Song Aims for UN Heritage Status
Switzerland's Yodel Song Aims for UN Heritage Status
5 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Switzerland seeks UN recognition for yodelling as intangible cultural heritage.
- Yodelling, a communication method between mountains, is vital to Swiss identity.
- Yodelling is now taught at university level, with a master's program available.
Switzerland is seeking United Nations recognition for its traditional yodelling, aiming to inscribe the practice on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list. The UN culture body is set to review the nomination this month, a move Switzerland hopes will safeguard this unique Alpine singing tradition.
Yodelling, initially a method for herders and shepherds to communicate across mountain valleys, is considered a cornerstone of Swiss identity. The nation boasts approximately 12,000 active yodellers participating in 780 clubs, demonstrating the tradition's continued vitality and cultural significance.
The tradition's evolution is remarkable; it has spread globally, influencing American folk and country music, and even inspiring innovative fusions like 'yodelton'. Furthermore, yodelling's importance is underscored by its inclusion in higher education, with a master's program offered at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts since 2018.
