Many are now being officially endorsed by the United Nations’ Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), with Belgium recently launching a bid to have potato fries recognised as part of its cultural heritage.

After being set up in 2008, the UN’s cultural agency has already approved 281 elements to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Differing from the more widely known list of World Heritage Sites, the aim is to ensure the protection of important and worldwide heritages and to raise awareness of their significance.

Elements are added each year following submissions by national governments of UN member states.

Each member is allowed to submit a single element to be assessed by Unesco.

A panel of experts in intangible heritage and an appointed body, known as the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, then examine each of the nominations before officially inscribing the candidates as elements on the list.

The criteria rules that items can be added if they are deemed to be ‘an essential component and a repository of cultural diversity and creative expression’.

Britain doesn’t currently have any items on the list, despite having 28 items of the list of World Heritage Sites, including Stonehenge and the Tower of London.

Last year Morris dancers sought to protect the 157-year-old tradition under Unesco's Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Here are some of the world’s more off-beat traditions to have made the list:

(dailymail.co.uk)