It’s no secret that Berlin is a city renowned for its legandary club scene, and now it’s official: after nearly three years of campaigning for global recognition, Berlin has been added to the UNESCO Cultural Heritage list. Announced yesterday (March 14), techno was one of six additions to the annually-updated list, which also includes mountaineering in Saxony and Kirchseeon Perchtenlauf, a winter parade in Bavaria where participants dress in furry monster costumes. Techno has “shaped large parts of the city of Berlin since the mid-to-late 1980s”, UNESCO said. The Berlin Club Commission described it as “another milestone for the city's techno producers, artists, club operators and event organisers”.

Non-profit organisation Rave The Planet has spent the past few years campaigning for the city’s techno scene to be added to the list. “Congratulations to all the cultural creators who have shaped and contributed to Berlin's techno culture,” they said in a statement. “This is a major milestone for the entire culture, and our joy is beyond words.”

The announcement follows on from the decision to make Berlin clubs cultural institutions by the local government back in 2021. Gaining UNESCO Cultural Heritage will now enable clubs to access government subsidies and other funding. Clubs will also get extra protection under town planning laws. Rave The Planet has yet to release a full-length statement.