In the western world, yoga is often mainly seen as physical exercise, but it's an entire philosophy in India. Practiced in different forms, yoga combines a series of poses, meditation, controlled breathing and other techniques aiming to improve spiritual well-being. It joined UNESCO's list of Intangible World Heritage in 2016.

It's a practice in Germany (picture: a falconry in Munich) and in many other countries of the world, too. Falconers train, fly and breed birds of prey (including, besides falcons, other birds such as eagles and hawks) and create a bond with them.

Germany's concept and practice of organizing shared interests in cooperatives was also included on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2016. A cooperative is an association of volunteers that provides services of a social, cultural or economic nature to members of the community to help improve living standards, overcome shared challenges and promote positive change.

Widely practiced throughout China, Peking opera combines singing and recitations with acting and martial arts. Its librettos, primarily in the Beijing dialect, follow a strict rhyme and form as they tell stories of politics, society and history. Players adorned in flamboyant costumes follow established choreography for the movements of their hands, eyes and feet. Sets are kept to a bare minimum.

Made with cabbage or edible greens, kimchi is a fermented vegetable condiment served with most dishes in Korea. While it can be quite spicy, each family has its own recipe that is passed down through generations. Communities gather during the harvest months to prepare large quantities of kimchi for the winter, an activity known as ''kimjang,'' which is said to contribute to social cohesion.

Lisbon's multicultural heritage weaved its way into fado songs, a genre of music that draws on the song patterns of the early 19th century. A soloist is often accompanied by a guitarra - a pear-shaped 12-stringed instrument unique to Portugal. While small fado houses are located throughout Lisbon, emigration has brought the music - and along with it, a symbol of Portuguese identity - abroad.

An Afro-Brazilian cultural practice that pays tribute to the resistance to the group's historical oppression, capoeira is a mixture of sport, tradition and art. Players form a circle around two players who simultaneously fight and dance. When not in the center of the ring themselves, participants sing, chant, clap and drum, taking their lead from a master.

While Germany has unsuccessfully applied to have their Carnival celebrations added to the UNESCO list, the Schemenlaufen native to Imst, Austria, was recognized in 2012. The festivity takes place every four years on the Sunday before Lent. Working in pairs, 55 masked and costumed couples perform a special dance of jumps and bows that creates music due to the bells worn on the costumes.

With a sound unlike any other, mariachi music is a fundamental part of Mexican culture. It transmits the natural heritage of the country's regions using both Spanish and various native Indian languages as musicians perform polkas, jarabes and "corridos," Mexican ballads narrating stories of battles and love affairs. Players wear regional costumes, including the inconspicuous sombrero.

Festivals frequently appear on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, including China's Dragon Boat Festival. A sporting event with dragon boat races, this memorial ceremony is combined with meals of rice dumplings and ruby sulphur wine, as well as operas and unicorn dances. Participants bathe in flower-scented water and wear silk to ward off evil during the festival.

The tradition of falconry is widespread; communities practicing it have their own associated dress, food, songs, music, poetry and dance. In 2012, UNESCO recognized the traditional activity in several countries, including Belgium, Austria, Syria, Qatar, Iran and the UAE. Falconry often takes place in the desert, where children are trained in bird handling as a way of establishing mutual trust.