They're known to adults and children alike: German fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella, which were collected and written down in the 19th century by the Brothers Grimm. Before then, the tales were passed on orally. Telling fairy tales is still a tradition in Germany, and the practice was placed on the national list of Intangible Culture Heritage in 2017.

One of the first depictions of midwifery was in ancient Egypt, in the form of a temple painting showing the birth of sun god Ra's triplets. Midwives have played a profound role in countries around the world. In Germany, their expertise is passed from generation to generation in schools. It's more than an occupation — it's a tradition to be safeguarded, according to the German UNESCO commission.

Nowhere in Europe have they seen such success as in Germany. These competitions take place in nearly every city, and even in rural areas. People perform and compete against each other with short texts or poems they have written themselves. But how to explain the popularity? Perhaps because competitions among poets is a tradition that stretches back centuries, as far back as the Middle Ages.

This ritual in East Frisia — the northwest coastal area of Germany — is as unique as it is precise: Tea is boiled with loose tea leaves and then poured over a piece of candied sugar, known as "Kluntje." Cream is then poured in a skillful manner to create an artful cream cloud called a "Wulkje." This custom has also been on Germany's national list of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2017.

You need three players, 32 cards and a thick skin. After all, for many Germans, skat is quite a serious business. People have played the card game skat for more than 200 years in Germany. Its origins date back to between 1810 and 1820 in Altenburg, in the eastern German state of Thuringia. Since then, it's been a game staple in pubs across the country. An estimated 20 million people play today.

The sound of reggae music can be heard all over Jamaica. Bob Marley is most famously associated with this special mixture of Caribbean, North and Latin American music. The singer used rhythmic, cheerful sounds to protest against social injustice with deeply human lyrics. He gave a voice not only to Jamaican society, but to people oppressed all over the world as well.

The southern French town of Grasse in Provence is considered the world metropolis of all fragrances. Since the 16th century, jasmine and night hyacinth blossoms have been grown here and transformed into fine fragrances. In the museums of Grasse's three great perfumers, visitors can discover the difference between the art of perfumery and synthetic production.

Who has the most colorful costumes, the most beautiful songs and dances and the best fireworks? That's determined every year through a competition at the festival of Las Parrandas in Cuba. First held in 1820, the Las Parrandas Festival is now celebrated by 18 municipalities of the Caribbean island. A highlight is the parade in Remedios on December 24.

This type of textile printing was brought from Indonesia and India to Europe by Dutch merchants in the 17th century. What is known as "Blaudruck" in German was a popular form of printing until the industrial mass production of fabrics made it less attractive. Today there are only 27 workshops in Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia that still maintain the traditional craft.

Dry stone wall construction is widespread in the Mediterranean. The cone-roof huts of Apulia, known as the trulli, were also built this way. Their stones are stacked on top of each other and do not require connecting materials. To this day, this unusual type of construction can be found in Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland.

The Lum medicinal bathing of Sowa Rigpa is a medicinal practice from Tibet. By bathing in natural hot springs, herbal water or steam, the body and the mind are brought into balance to prevent and treat diseases. Traditional knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation and is now part of the curriculum of modern medical schools.

Traditional wrestling, called Ssirum/Ssireum, is a national sport in North and South Korea. The competitors try to grab the opponent's belt to wring him to the ground. The two Korean states joined forces to apply for the title of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage — a symbolic step on the way to reconciliation.