TRIPOLI, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- A number of Libyan experts on Saturday discussed the challenges of Libya's ratification of UNESCO's Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

During a workshop on UNESCO in the capital Tripoli, the experts reviewed previous attempts to accede to the international convention of UNESCO, as well as the urgent safeguarding list and the national list of the intangible heritage.

"The number of countries ratifying the convention in 2014 is 168 out of 193 UNESCO members. Libya, until now, did not vote as a result of the political situation, after it was so close to do so in 2010," Abdullah Al-Maqtouf, in-charge coordinator of the UNESCO division of the Libyan national commission for education, culture and science, told Xinhua after workshop.

"Technically, we are well prepared. We only need to put all ideas and proposals for the intangible heritage in an integrated project and submit it to the legal and legislative bodies to issue a law that would vote on Libya's approval to join this important convention," Al-Maqtouf added.

"Today, we discussed with a number of important experts the significance of the convention in protecting the intangible heritage, such as the local distinctive Libyan cultures, as well as folk dances and cuisine, dialects, poetry and old songs," Al-Maqtouf explained.

Al-Maqtouf pointed out that the countries of the world compete for inclusion of their intangible heritage in UNESCO, "which reflects the rising level of interest in the intangible heritage of the peoples."

The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was adopted by UNESCO in 2003 to protect the intangible cultural heritage from disappearance due to globalization and accelerated technological progress.

According to the convention, the intangible cultural heritage includes oral traditions and expressions, performing arts, social practices and ceremonies, knowledge and practices relating to nature and the universe, and craft arts skills.