The Carpathians are ethnically and religiously diverse, as the surrounding nature and cultures mutually influenced each other throughout generations. Many unique, historical cultural traditions thrive in the region, including Carpathian music and dances, harvest festivals, traditional agricultural products, wooden architecture, and local costumes and folklore. Additionally, the environment has greatly benefited from traditional knowledge and practices in land use, animal husbandry and botany. 

Yet, the cultural heritage of the Carpathians is increasingly threatened by social transformations and changing economic conditions, depopulation of rural mountain areas and the globalization of culture, leading to the deterioration and disappearance of various cultural legacies and practices. International and regional cooperation is necessary to preserve and promote the diverse cultural heritage and traditional knowledge of the Carpathians, which Article 11 of the Carpathian Convention aims to accomplish.