Inventory of intangible cultural heritage in Mali with a view to its urgent safeguarding

Benefitting country(ies): Mali

Overview:

Mali fell in a serious crisis following a coup d’état in January 2012, and the occupation of northern and east-central regions by armed groups and extremists. Cultural heritage has suffered tremendous damage. Cultural practices and expressions ranging from rituals, traditional music, festive events and craftsmanship were curtailed by the prohibitions imposed by the occupants. ›››

News and activities:

• 12-02-2015 – Financial assistance, a key mechanism for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Africa
• 05-09-2014 – Capacity-building workshop on ICH community-based inventorying
• 19-03-2014 – Mali launches an inventory of intangible cultural heritage
• 28-10-2013 – UNESCO approves emergency funds for inventory of Mali’s intangible heritage

Inventory and promotion of intangible cultural heritage in Burkina Faso

Benefitting country(ies): Burkina Faso

Overview:

This project aims to establish an inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of the ethno-cultural communities in Burkina Faso. The inventory will enable to provide quantitative and qualitative data on the elements present on national territory, to identify their state of viability and ensure their promotion. The project will be implemented in two major phases: a pilot phase involving two regions with six ethno-cultural communities and a second generalization phase that will involve all regions and national communities. ›››

News and activities:

• 12-02-2015 – Financial assistance, a key mechanism for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Africa
• 13-05-2013 – UNESCO supports Burkina Faso for the safeguarding of its intangible heritage

Safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage of Nigeria through an integrated approach

Benefitting country(ies): Nigeria

Overview:

A needs assessment carried out in 2011 showed that the national capacities of Nigeria are not yet adapted to meet the requirements of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The aim of the project is to lay a solid foundation to support Nigeria in its efforts to safeguard the living heritage present in the country. ›››

News and activities:

• 14-05-2015 – Workshop on strengthening the policy and legal framework for the safeguarding of ICH in Nigeria.
• 23-01-2015 – Nigeria: Towards safeguarding of intangible heritage

Safeguarding and revitalizing the Mongolian traditional epic

Benefitting country(ies): Mongolia

Overview:

The aim of the project is to revitalize, safeguard and transmit the Mongolian traditional epic through a series of activities that range from a field survey on the current state of Mongolian epic, its repertoire and associated customs, to the identification and documentation of epic performers and the creation of a related database; from an apprenticeship training aiming at the transmission of skills and knowledge to a series of activities of awareness-raising and promotion. ›››

Safeguarding the oral traditions and expressions of the Dzao people of Lao Cai and Lai Chau Provinces of Viet Nam

Benefitting country(ies): Viet Nam

Overview:

The Dzao in Lao Cai and Lai Chau Provinces live mainly near the northern border with China. With only one or two villagers in each village who can still sing folk songs and speak the traditional language, the oral traditions and expressions of the Dzao people are severely endangered. Folk songs, tales, lullabies, proverbs and riddles are also disappearing due to the advanced age of those who recite them and to the working and school environment of young Dzao where Vietnamese language prevails. ›››

Strengthening the capacities of Suriname and Dutch Caribbean islands for implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Benefitting country(ies): Curaçao, Aruba, Suriname, Sint Maarten

Overview:

The project is designed with the purpose of implementing the Convention in a coordinated manner among the Dutch Caribbean islands and, in the meantime, strengthening the safeguarding capacities of Suriname.

By introducing two joint trainings, the project aims at improving the capacities of the involved stakeholders on the implementation of the convention and drawing up of inventories. ›››

News and activities:

• 27-07-2015 – Suriname taking important strides towards the safeguarding of its living heritage
  

• 20-07-2015 – Suriname taking important strides towards the safeguarding of its living heritage
• 22-02-2015 – Joint workshop on community-based inventorying of intangible cultural heritage
• 19-02-2015 – Dutch Caribbean islands press on with inventorying its living heritage

Strengthening national capacities for effective intangible cultural heritage safeguarding in selected PALOP countries

Benefitting country(ies): Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe

Overview:

The project aims to built national capacity in these Portuguese speaking countries to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage. The project pays particular attention at building a critical level of experience and knowledge, both in government institutions, civil society and in selected communities. Another aim of the project is to prepare a regional cooperation mechanism amongst Lusophone countries in Africa in the spirit of the UNESCO’s Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. ›››

News and activities:

• 09-11-2015 – Training workshop on the implementation of the 2003 UNESCO Convention in Angola
• 12-10-2015 – Community members in Cabo Verde taking stock of their intangible cultural heritage
• 23-09-2015 – Training workshop on community-based inventorying
• 03-08-2015 – Learning how Cabo Verde can safeguard its living heritage attracts statewide and regional attention

Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage of Kallawaya communities

Benefitting country(ies): Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

Overview:

Los kallawayas, famosos por su vasto conocimiento del mundo botánico y mineral, practican técnicas médicas y rituales de curación que son un fiel exponente del sistema de creencias indígenas. Su conocimiento de las plantas medicinales se amplía sin cesar, pues los curanderos kallawayas y sus aprendices buscan continuamente nuevos métodos de curación en los diversos y muy variados ecosistemas de la región andina. ›››

News and activities:

• 17-10-2015 – Transmission workshop from elderly to younger Kallawayas
• 21-09-2015 – Safeguarding living heritage of Kallawaya communities in Bolivia
• 13-09-2015 – Transmission workshop from elderly to younger Kallawayas

Safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage through strengthening national capacities in Niger

Benefitting country(ies): Niger

Overview:

Conducted in close cooperation with the Directorate for the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Communication, New Information Technologies and Culture, the project will aim to support Niger in the process, already underway, of taking ownership of the concepts and tools provided by the Convention in order to create an institutional and social environment favorable to the efficient and sustainable safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. ›››

News and activities:

• 20-04-2015 – Niger strengthens its capacities for inventories of intangible heritage
• 10-11-2014 – Training Workshop on the the implementation of the 2003 Convention
• 07-11-2014 – Niger launches a capacity-building programme for the safeguarding of its living heritage

Safeguarding indigenous vernacular architecture and building knowledge in Vanuatu

Benefitting country(ies): Vanuatu

Overview:

This project seeks to document the pre- and post- cyclone condition of 6 significant traditional nakamals, the traditional meeting places in Vanuatu. These structures have recently been damaged by Cyclone Pam, a category 5 system that crossed the region on the 13 March 2015. The documentation will include both the tangible and intangible aspects of each nakamal, which will be represented through a written and visual medium. ›››

News and activities:

• 24-08-2015 – Peacebuilding, natural disasters mitigation and indigenous communities supported by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund

Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage of Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago through strengthening their capacities for implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Benefitting country(ies): Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago

Overview:

This project aims at assisting Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago to safeguard their intangible cultural heritage through the effective implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. To that end, an integrated strategy will be implemented, including a series of well-prepared workshops and activities, tailored to respond to the identified needs of each country. ›››

News and activities:

• 10-06-2014 – Review meeting: safeguarding intangible cultural heritage of Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago
• 01-10-2013 – Inventorying the living heritage of Belize
• 30-09-2013 – Inventorying of living heritage presses on in Belize
• 04-09-2013 – Jamaica pushes on with the inventory of its living heritage

Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage through strengthening national capacities in Morocco, Mauritania an Tunisia

Benefitting country(ies): Morocco, Mauritania, Tunisia

Overview:

The aim of this project is to assist three countries in the Maghreb sub-region in the safeguarding of their intangible cultural heritage through the effective implementation of the Convention. It aims to build a critical mass of experience and knowledge, both in government institutions and in civil society, so that the beneficiary countries will be equipped with a suitable framework for the sustainable safeguarding of the intangible heritage and the implementation of the Convention over the long term. ›››

News and activities:

• 08-06-2015 – Morocco is perfecting its knowledge in international mechanisms for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage
• 01-03-2015 – Intangible Heritage: it’s time for mid-term review in the Maghreb
• 21-06-2014 – Tunisia: INV workshop
• 20-05-2014 – Morocco: inventory workshop. Marrakech

Inventory, safeguarding and promoting knowledge of how to manufacture and play Togo’s traditional musical instruments (Pilot phase in the Maritime region, south Togo)

Benefitting country(ies): Togo

News and activities:

• 19-10-2015 – The Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund supports various safeguarding measures in Africa!

Documentation and inventory of intangible cultural heritage in the Republic of the Sudan (a pilot project in Kordufan and Blue Nile regions)

Benefitting country(ies): Sudan

Overview:

The project aims to conduct a pilot inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of Kordofan and Blue Nile states through documentation and inventorying, and thereby to contribute to a larger inventory in Sudan. At present, no such inventory exists, although there are numerous studies, collections and bibliographies, as well as thousands of photos and audio-visual recordings. ›››

News and activities:

• 19-10-2015 – The Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund supports various safeguarding measures in Africa!

Documenting and inventorying intangible cultural heritage of the pastoralist Samburu community in northern Kenya: a focus on the region of Mount Kulal biosphere reserve

Benefitting country(ies): Kenya

News and activities:

• 19-10-2015 – The Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund supports various safeguarding measures in Africa!

Safeguarding and promotion of indigenous knowledge associated with the ecological environment of the Black Ha Nhi in Lao Cai Province, Viet Nam

Benefitting country(ies): Viet Nam

Overview:

The Black Ha Nhi people have developed and passed on place-based knowledge and a body of customary laws to cope with living conditions and survival experiences as well as to protect their natural environment. Ecological indigenous knowledge of the Black Ha Nhi includes behavioural practices in taking care of trees, preventing fire and soil erosion and protecting the topographical setting as well as practices of worshipping forest and water spirits associated with rituals and festivals, such as oath-taking ceremonies for protection of sacred forests, watersheds, and water sources. ›››

Documentation, promotion and dissemination of the Candombe traditional drum calls, expressions of identity of the Sur, Palermo, and Cordón neighbourhoods in the city of Montevideo

Benefitting country(ies): Uruguay

Overview:

With the objective of strengthening the practice of Candombe not only in Montevideo but also in other provinces of Uruguay by promoting its transmission to younger generations and reinforcing the safeguarding capacities of local associations of practitioners, the project started in September 2013. This late start is due to a one-year process of project development aiming to ensure greater sustainability of its results beyond the assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund. ›››

Inventory and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of the Pygmy populations of Gabon

Benefitting country(ies): Gabon

Overview:

Having benefited from capacity building activities, Gabon has recognized the need for a safeguarding action towards the intangible cultural heritage of Pygmy populations, for which surveys conducted with these populations highlighted the endangered elements constituent to their identity. The project proposed aims to draw up an inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of the Pygmy populations Babongo, Baka and Bakoya. ›››

News and activities:

• 24-08-2015 – Peacebuilding, natural disasters mitigation and indigenous communities supported by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund

Safeguarding and promotion of Bigwala, gourd trumpet music and dance of Busoga Kingdom in Uganda

Benefitting country(ies): Uganda

Overview:

Bigwala music and dance practiced by the Basoga people from eastern Uganda were inscribed by the Committee on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2012. Only two surviving master players are said to exist together with a handful of trainees. The performance is given by a set of five of more gourd trumpets each producing a single tone and blown in hocket to produce a melody, accompanied with singing, drumming and dancing; singers and dancers move in circular formation around the instrument players. ›››

News and activities:

• 24-08-2015 – Peacebuilding, natural disasters mitigation and indigenous communities supported by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund

Inventory of the intangible cultural heritage present in Côte d’Ivoire in view of its urgent safeguarding

Benefitting country(ies): Côte d’Ivoire

Overview:

The political and military crisis that the country experienced between 2002 and 2011 halted the active efforts engaged by Côte d’Ivoire since many years in the identification of elements of the intangible cultural heritage present in its territory and affected it negatively, notably by the interruption of certain practices violently suppressed or the denaturation of certain elements emptying them of their value and traditional social functions. ›››

News and activities:

• 24-08-2015 – Peacebuilding, natural disasters mitigation and indigenous communities supported by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund

Strengthening the capacities of Myanmar for implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Benefitting country(ies): Myanmar

Overview:

This project aims to build up the national capacity of Myanmar, both in government institutions and in civil society, so that Myanmar will have a sustainable framework for implementing the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) on a long term basis.

To that end, the project implements an integrated capacity-building strategy, including a series of well-prepared workshops and activities, tailored to respond to the identified needs of Myanmar. ›››

News and activities:

• 14-09-2015 – Training on the use of the mechanisms of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage
• 14-09-2015 – Myanmar concludes its capacity-building project
• 05-11-2014 – Myanmar begins to experience inventorying of its intangible cultural heritage
• 27-10-2014 – Workshop on community-based inventorying in Myanmar

Strengthening the capacities of Eritrea for implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Benefitting country(ies): Eritrea

Strengthening sub-regional cooperation and national capacities in seven Southern African countries for implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Benefitting country(ies): Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Overview:

The beneficiaries of the project are the national authorities responsible for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and selected communities in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Firstly, the project aims to initiate a sub-regional cooperation platform to support these countries in their efforts to safeguard the living heritage present in their territories. ›››

News and activities:

• 23-02-2015 – Southern Africa: Enhanced national capacities and sub-regional cooperation for safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage
• 18-03-2014 – Strengthening sub-regional Cooperation and National Capacities in Seven Southern African Countries for implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Inventorying the intangible cultural heritage of four communities in Uganda

Benefitting country(ies): Uganda

Overview:

In July 2013, Uganda launched a multi-year project to enable four local communities to identify their living heritage, as an essential step for its safeguarding.
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development will coordinate the establishment of a national strategy for inventorying intangible cultural heritage and organize a workshop in the capital in order to train local coordinators on the principle and methodologies of inventorying intangible heritage, while highlighting the importance of the fullest possible involvement of the communities concerned. ›››

News and activities:

• 12-02-2015 – Financial assistance, a key mechanism for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Africa
• 02-07-2013 – Four communities in Uganda commence inventory making of their intangible cultural heritage

Strengthening national capacities for effective safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Cuba, Dominican Republic and Haiti

Benefitting country(ies): Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti

Overview:

This project has a twofold objective: strengthening the national capacities on intangible cultural heritage in each of the beneficiary countries by a number of training workshops and by supporting and giving policy advice to governmental and non-governmental institutions in the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.

Through the workshops on implementation of the Convention and on inventorying, both the Dominican Republic and especially Cuba have received advice, technical assistance and support on their work on intangible cultural heritage, sustaining projects that contribute to the safeguarding of the intangible cultural expressions. ›››

News and activities:

• 21-04-2014 – Mission in Haiti
• 31-03-2014 – Workshop on community-based inventorying in Dominican Republic
• 11-02-2014 – Training on the implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the national level in Eastern Cuba
• 07-02-2014 – Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage strengthened in eastern Cuba

Traditions and practices associated with the Kayas in the sacred forests of the Mijikenda

Benefitting country(ies): Kenya

Overview:

Aiming to empower the Mijikenda people to ensure the viability and transmission of the traditions and practices associated to the sacred Kaya forests of coastal Kenya, the project is managed by the Department of Culture of the Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts (former Ministry of State for National Heritage and Culture) in cooperation with the National Museums of Kenya through its Coastal Forest Conservation Unit. ›››

News and activities:

• 12-02-2015 – Financial assistance, a key mechanism for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Africa

Inventory of traditional musics in Senegal

Benefitting country(ies): Senegal

Overview:

This project aims to undertake an inventory of the traditional music of Senegal that encompasses a vast and diverse array of musical traditions, genres, instruments and associated craftsmanship. Its social, spiritual and cultural functions are many, including celebrations of birth, death rites, initiations, blessings, agriculture, fishing, values, and legends and myths. ›››

News and activities:

• 16-03-2015 – Senegal improves the safeguarding of traditional music thanks to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund
• 12-02-2015 – Financial assistance, a key mechanism for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Africa
• 13-08-2013 – Senegal launches an inventory of its traditional music

Improving the capacities of intangible cultural heritage related NGOs in Mongolia

Benefitting country(ies): Mongolia

Overview:

The Foundation for the Protection of Natural and Cultural Heritage spearheads the work of non-governmental organizations and civil society in the field of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in Mongolia. While non-governmental organizations play an increasing role in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and disseminating information about it in Mongolia, their capacities are still weak and a number of their managers and employees lack adequate knowledge of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Operational Directives for its implementation. ›››

Strengthening national capacities for effective safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Central Asia

Benefitting country(ies): Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan

Overview:

This project aims to enhance the safeguarding capacities of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan through effective implementation of the Convention, thereby contributing to sustainable development. It is also within the project’s objective to promote better visibility of intangible cultural heritage, awareness of its significance and its function in society. Also by promoting mutual respect for the heritage of others, this project is expected to foster cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace in these countries. ›››

News and activities:

• 13-05-2014 – Tajikistan national capacity for the safeguarding of living heritage strengthened
• 11-05-2014 – Community-Based Inventorying of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Tajikistan
• 26-11-2013 – Inventorying of living heritage on the top of Kazakhstan’s agenda
• 22-11-2013 – Inventorying of living heritage on the top of Kazakhstan’s agenda

Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage through the Strengthening of National Capacities in Lao PDR

Benefitting country(ies): Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Overview:

This project aims at building up a critical mass of national capacity, both in government institutions and in civil society, and to provide general programmatic and managerial support to the Organization’s activities in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in Lao PDR and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

To that end, the project has started to implement an integrated capacity-building strategy, including a series of well-prepared workshops and activities, tailored to respond to the identified needs of Lao PDR. ›››

News and activities:

• 30-01-2014 – The Lao People’s Democratic Republic’s national capacities reinforced
• 20-01-2014 – Training on the use of the mechanisms of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Lao PDR
• 12-06-2013 – Lao PDR on its way for safeguarding its rich intangible cultural heritage through community-based inventorying
• 11-06-2013 – Lao PDR: workshop on community-based inventorying of intangible cultural heritage

Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage through the Strengthening of National Capacities in Asia and the Pacific

Benefitting country(ies): Bhutan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste

Overview:

This project aims at assisting Bhutan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Sri Lanka and Timor Leste to safeguard their intangible cultural heritage through effective implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. It aims at building up a critical mass of experience and knowledge, both in government institutions and in civil society, so that the beneficiary countries will be equipped with an appropriate sustainable framework for safeguarding intangible heritage and implementing the Convention on a long term basis. ›››

News and activities:

• 06-07-2015 – Second round of capacity-building activities launched in Asia and the Pacific
• 07-03-2014 – Sri Lanka and Bhutan better equipped to use the international mechanisms of the Intangible Heritage Convention
• 04-03-2014 – Elaboration of nomination files to the ICH Lists in Bhutan
• 11-02-2014 – Elaboration of Nomination Files to the ICH List in Sri Lanka

Strengthening national capacities for effective safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Central America

Benefitting country(ies): El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua

News and activities:

• 07-04-2014 – Increasing involvement of communities in inventorying intangible cultural heritage in Latin America
• 25-02-2014 – Workshop on community-based inventorying in Guatemala
• 29-07-2013 – Training on the use of the mechanisms of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Central America
• 17-06-2013 – Training on inventorying intangible cultural heritage in El Salvador with the participation of the community of Conchagua

Strengthening national capacities for effective safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay

Benefitting country(ies): Argentina

Overview:

The present project was among the first of its kind to be implemented in Latin America. It aimed at assisting Argentina as a priority and also Paraguay and Uruguay, in safeguarding their intangible cultural heritage by acquiring broad and solid knowledge of the 2003 Convention and its mechanism.

Workshops on the implementation of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage were organized at the national level. ›››

News and activities:

• 13-02-2014 – Completion of the capacity-building programme in the Southern Cone
• 15-10-2013 – The Southern Cone concludes its capacity-building programme
• 14-10-2013 – Training on the use of the mechanisms of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage
• 27-09-2013 – Intangible cultural heritage inventorying sees results in Argentina

Capacity building in designing, implementing and evaluating intangible cultural heritage projects in Viet Nam

Benefitting country(ies): Viet Nam

Overview:

The project aimed to develop a toolkit that could help cultural managers and practitioners in local communities improve their abilities to design, implement and evaluate safeguarding projects, thereby facilitating the implementation of the 2003 Convention and the 2009 amended Viet Nam Law on Cultural Heritage.
The toolkit includes the guiding principles of safeguarding and promotion activities, as well as a set of checklists with concrete indicators for users to apply in the design, implementation and evaluation process. ›››

Establishing the national inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of Belarus

Benefitting country(ies): Belarus

Overview:

The main goal of the project was to safeguard living heritage in Belarus through the identification and documentation of existing cultural practices, creating a database and developing a national inventorying procedure. It aimed at ensuring promotion and distribution of structured information about the diversity of the intangible cultural heritage in Belarus while underlining the crucial role of cultural diversity and cultural heritage for sustainable development. ›››

Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the Promotion of Cultural Identity and Community Resilience in Timor-Leste

Benefitting country(ies): Timor-Leste

Strengthening national capacities for effective safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Benefitting country(ies): Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe

News and activities:

• 03-09-2012 – Capacity building review meeting in Harare on elaborating policy and legal framework for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage
• 11-06-2012 – Capacity building workshop on preparing nominations to the lists of the 2003 Convention
• 16-04-2012 – Botswana takes another step to safeguard its living heritage with the training of community members and government officials
• 26-03-2012 – Zambia hosts workshop to strengthen capacity to safeguard its living heritage

Safeguarding traditional foodways of two communities in Kenya

Benefitting country(ies): Kenya

Overview:

Traditional foodways involve practices transmitted within a community concerning the preparation and consumption of food, including the provision of ingredients and the roles of all people involved. Traditional foodways, both those related to everyday life as well as those associated with special occasions (such as rituals, social practices and festive events) constitute an important part of the intangible heritage of communities everywhere in the world. ›››

Development of an inventory of intangible heritage of Malawi

Benefitting country(ies): Malawi

Overview:

Eight communities in the Northern Region of Malawi participated in the inventorying of their intangible cultural heritage with a view to safeguarding. After having received training on documentation and inventory making, twelve young members from the Bandya, Lambya, Mambwe, Namwanga, Ndali, Nyakyusa, Nyiha and Sulwa/Chewa communities conducted fieldwork to identify and collect information on 26 living practices and expressions that they considered characteristic for their communities. ›››

News and activities:

• 31-05-2013 – Eight communities in northern Malawi mobilised for inventorying their living heritage

MedLiHer - Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean Partner Countries

Benefitting country(ies): Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon

Overview:

With the support of the European Union, UNESCO has launched the “Mediterranean Living Heritage Project (MedLiHer) ” to support the implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the Syrian Arab Republic, with the participation of the Maison des Cultures du Monde (France). ›››

News and activities:

• 17-12-2012 – Save the dates: MedLiHer final evaluation meeting in Paris on 17 and 18 December 2012
• 13-11-2012 – MEDLIHER: four years of cooperation for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in the Mediterranean
• 07-10-2012 – Another step in the safeguarding of Jordan’s living heritage: understanding the nominations’ process
  

• 14-09-2012 – A film and an exhibition to celebrate the Mediterranean intangible cultural heritage

Digital preservation of folklore and traditional music archives (Phase I)

Benefitting country(ies): Sudan

Overview:

The project aimed at assessing the needs for safeguarding the audiovisual collection of traditional Sudanese music housed in the Folklore and Traditional Music Archives of the University of Khartoum. To carry out the assessment, the Sudanese National Commission recruited an expert who conducted a mission to Khartoum from 15 to 28 October 2012 and subsequently elaborated a strategy for the digitization of archival materials. ›››

News and activities:

• 24-07-2013 – Digitization of Sudan folklore and traditional music archives

Inventory of Albanian folk iso-polyphony

Benefitting country(ies): Albania

Overview:

The purpose of this project was to establish an electronic database on Albanian folk iso-polyphony, incorporated in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008.

Between 2007 and 2010, the Albanian Music Council implemented safeguarding activities including the establishment of an initial register of the element. The present project aimed at enriching that initial inventory including additional information on issues such as legislation and other legal measures, vocabularies, activities dedicated to the element and instruments and costumes used for the iso-polyphony. ›››

A series of pilot projects in community-based intangible heritage inventorying on a grassroots-level in six selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Benefitting country(ies): Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Uganda, Swaziland, Zambia

Overview:

The project was implemented by conducting a series of pilot ICH inventory-making activities, on a grassroots level, in six beneficiary Sub-Saharan African countries, namely Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Uganda, Swaziland and Zambia. It was composed of four phases:

1. Phase I dealt with the selection of six pilot communities (one in each country) in a demand-driven manner;
2. Phase II was the initial capacity-building training workshops that took place in all six abovementioned countries;
3. Phase III included several months of fieldwork involving the selected communities and cultural officers to inventory ICH; and
4. Phase IV was follow-up sessions that were organized to evaluate the quality of exercises and improve methodologies. ›››

Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Seychelles

Benefitting country(ies): Seychelles

Overview:

The project, conducted by the National Heritage Research Section Unit of the Ministry of Community Development, Youth, Sports and Culture, aimed at supporting the implementation of safeguarding activities by developing an inventory of the intangible cultural heritage in Seychelles. The project started in the first quarter of 2010, with the elaboration of a preliminary list of elements of the intangible cultural heritage to be inventoried, the design of an inventory template form and the establishment in April 2010 of a working committee to serve as an advisory body for the project. ›››

Manyanga Misumo protocol

Benefitting country(ies): Zimbabwe

Overview:

The Bureau approved the international assistance request submitted by Zimbabwe to implement a project entitled ‘Traditional custodians of the sacred shrines of Zimbabwe.’ A contract was signed in April 2011 between UNESCO and Manyanga Traditional Custodians, the organization designated by the requesting State Party for the project’s implementation. In December of that year, the Manyanga Traditional Custodians informed the Secretariat that they were not able to continue with its implementation and would therefore proceed with the reimbursement of the first advance payment. ›››

General inventory of the intangible cultural heritage

Benefitting country(ies): Togo

Overview:

The project aimed to realize a general inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of Togo to contibute to the implementation of the 2003 Convention at the national level. The main objectives were to identify the elements of the intangible cultural heritage; develop safeguarding measures and identify the elements to be nominate to the Convention’s Lists; strengthen the capacity in inventory; establish a bureau in charge of the intangible cultural heritage; and create a network of expertise in Togo’s regions. ›››

Safeguarding of the Cimboa

Benefitting country(ies): Cabo Verde

Overview:

The Cimboa safeguarding project is aimed at revitalizing the manufacture and practice of the Cimboa. The Cimboa is a single-stringed instrument originating from Continental Africa and introduced in Cape Verde by slaves who were taken to the islands.

The Cimboa is exclusively used during the Batuque to accompany songs and traditional dance, practiced on ceremonial occasions (particularly on marriage or child-naming occasions) by the slave community. ›››

Safeguarding cultural heritage aspects of Njelele

Benefitting country(ies): Zimbabwe

Overview:

Implemented by the National Archives of Zimbabwe (NAZ) in partnership with the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NNMZ) and Lupane State University (LSU), the project led to the development of an intangible cultural heritage documentation facility at NAZ and collection of data and documentation on Njelele and its related intangible cultural heritage aspects. ›››

Strengthening national capacities for effective safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage: developing nominations for the Urgent Safeguarding List in Southern Africa

Benefitting country(ies): Lesotho, Namibia

Overview:

The project aim was to organize a five-day pilot training workshop, providing practical and technical skills in preparation of nomination files. The workshop targeted five participants from each of the two main beneficiary countries (Namibia and Lesotho) and one from each of the additional countries: Swaziland, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe with the training course materials were developed by the facilitator from South Africa, Dr. ›››

La réalisation des mesures de sauvegarde proposées du Sanké-Mon, le rite de pêche collective dans le Sanké

Benefitting country(ies): Mali

Overview:

This project aims to contribute to the safeguarding of Sanké mon: collective fishing rite of the Sanké, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. The Sanké mon is a ritual and festive event held each year at the pond of Sanké in the city of San, located 490 km north of Bamako. ›››

Sub-regional capacity-building workshops in Central America and South America on safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage

Benefitting country(ies): El Salvador, Panama, Peru

Overview:

This project aimed at strengthening capacity-building for the Implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, raising awareness with regard to the use of mappings and increasing knowledge on the revitalization of intangible cultural heritage.

The projects included the organization of a series of sub-regional workshops, one in South America (Peru) and three in Central America (Panama and El Salvador), to reinforce institutional capacities to implement the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. ›››

An inventory of elements of intangible heritage pertaining to the indenture experience in the Republic of Mauritius

Benefitting country(ies): Mauritius

Overview:

Through this project, the Aapravasi Ghat Trust Fund (AGTF) aimed at setting up an inventory of elements of intangible heritage related to the history of indentureship in line with its mission and objectives contained in the Management Plan of the Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Property.
Over 60 elements of intangible cultural heritage were identified under four main themes relating to the legacy of indentureship: superstitions and blind beliefs, rites of passage, food and health, and skills and labour. ›››

Documentation and inventory of intangible cultural heritage in the Republic of Mauritius

Benefitting country(ies): Mauritius

Overview:

Implemented by the National Heritage Fund, the main achievement of the project was the elaboration of an ‘Inventory and Documentation of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Republic of Mauritius (A First List).’
The project benefited from extensive support of institutions, groups and individuals in the Republic of Mauritius; primary and secondary approaches to data collection and analysis were used in the process of establishing the inventory. ›››

The elaboration of the “Inventories of the Representative list and list in need of urgent safeguarding of Intagible Heritage in Mongolia”

Benefitting country(ies): Mongolia

Overview:

This project resulted in the drawing up of two inventories of intangible cultural heritage present in the territory of Mongolia. The project was conducted at the national level covering 85% of the country including 283 districts of 21 provinces and all 9 districts of Ulaanbaatar.
With the purpose of evaluating and analyzing the status of the current safeguarding system and to identify ICH elements on the territory of Mongolia, different forms for inventorying were elaborated so to establish a standard registration and information system at the national level, and a field survey based on them and on a predefined questionnaire was carried out nationwide by 115 cultural specialists, professionals and ICH bearers. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Baul Songs

Benefitting country(ies): Bangladesh

Overview:

The Bauls are minstrels who travel from village to village, earning their living by singing. Their music, poetry and way of life have profoundly influenced Bengali culture. Bauls do not identify themselves with any organized religion nor with the caste system. They emphasize the importance of the human body as the place where God resides. ›››

Safeguarding of the Ifa Divination system

Benefitting country(ies): Nigeria

Overview:

Practiced among the Yoruba, Ifa divination relies on a complex system of signs, compiled in a literary corpus, that are interpreted by a diviner to guide important personal or collective decisions. The literary corpus is a treasury of knowledge concerning Yoruba history, philosophy, medicine and mythology.

This project aims at ensuring the intergenerational and peer transmission of Ifa through formalizing the transfer of knowledge of Ifa priests through the creation of a school. ›››

Safeguarding Albanian Folk-Iso-polyphony

Benefitting country(ies): Albania

Overview:

Derived from Byzantine church music, Albanian Iso-polyphony is a sophisticated form of group singing, performed mostly by men. The rise of cultural tourism and the growing interest of researchers are contributing to the revival of this unique folk tradition.

This project contributes to the safeguarding of Albanian iso-polyphony, focusing especially on its transmission of to the younger generation. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding and Revitalization of the Cultural Space of the Holy Spirit Brotherhood of the Villa Mella’s Congos

Benefitting country(ies): Dominican Republic

Overview:

The Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of the Congos of Villa Mella is distinguished in the fields of music, dance and popular festivities. The musicians play hand-drums called congos, which origin is attributed to the Holy Spirit. The Festival of the Holy Spirit, celebrated at Pentecost, features prayers, dances and singing, accompanied by the music of the congos and a procession carrying the dove representing the Holy Spirit. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Makishi Masquerade in Zambia

Benefitting country(ies): Zambia

Overview:

As part of initiation, boys leave their communities to live in a bush camp where they are taught practical skills as well as knowledge about nature, religion and social values. For their reintegration into the community, they perform the Makishi masquerade involving beautifully painted masks that represent different spiritual characters. ›››

Safeguarding of the Gulu Wamkulu, the Great Dance of the Chewa People

Benefitting country(ies): Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia

Overview:

Performed by the Chewa people of Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia, the Gule Wamkulu is a dance that accompanies initiation ceremonies, weddings, funerals and the installation of chiefs. Male dancers wear full costumes and masks made of wood and straw, expressing a great variety of spiritual and secular characters.

• capacity building among master practitioners (training of trainers) and training workshops for young initiates through exchange programmes and the distribution of educational materials;
• awareness raising effort through inter-village, national and multinational festivals and joint radio and TV programmes;
• support to Malawian, Zambian and Mozambican staff for research, documentation and the creation of an inventory on Gule Wamkulu, collating resources of all three countries;
• encouragement of legal protection of intangible cultural heritage. ›››

Safeguarding the Chopi Timbila tradition in Mozambique

Benefitting country(ies): Mozambique

Overview:

The Chopi people of southern Mozambique are famous for their orchestras of up to thirty wooden xylophones of varying sizes and ranges of pitch. Each year, several new pieces are composed and performed at social festivities and other community events in combination with the energetic Timbila dance.

The objectives of the safeguarding project are to:

• enhance the quality and authenticity of the Timbila instruments; strengthen transmission to younger generations;
• ensure access to scientific documentation on the Chopi Timbila;
• create opportunities for performance and exchange for Timbila practitioners;
• enhance legal protections and promote the social and economic interests of Timbila tradition bearers. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Vimbuza Healing Dance

Benefitting country(ies): Malawi

Overview:

Popular among the Tumbuka people, the Vimbuza is practised by renowned traditional healers in a special ritual. Patients slowly enter trance, while the audience performs songs to call helping spirits. Vimbuza is a useful complement to other forms of medical treatment.

The safeguarding project seeks to:

• encourage the transmission of skills and knowledge to younger generations, and
• raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding the Vimbuza as part of traditional health practices. ›››

National Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Mugam of Azerbaijan

Benefitting country(ies): Azerbaijan

Overview:

Like the Mugham sung elsewhere in the region, the Azerbaijani Mugham is characterized by a high degree of improvisation in singing and playing. Today, master practitioners train students in the fine art of interpretation to ensure the variety of this artistic expression.

The project seeks to give an incentive to the transmission of skills and knowledge to the younger generations and to promote of the value of this living tradition among the Azerbaijani community at large, and to raise awareness of the importance of the Mugam’s safeguarding. ›››

Safeguarding of the Sacred Songs of the Voodoo Cult of the lakou Dereal of the Community of Bizoton

Benefitting country(ies): Haiti

Overview:

The Bizoton community is situated in the the Dereal lakou in Western Haïti. Every song and dance in the vodou cult can be associated with a prayer and every gesture that goes with it is codified in function of a specific divinity.

Safeguarding of the Art of the Akyns, Kyrgyz Epic Tellers

Benefitting country(ies): Kyrgyzstan

Overview:

The pre-eminent Kyrgyz epic, the Manas trilogy, is an oral encyclopaedia of Kyrgyz social values and history. Performed at seasonal ceremonies, national holidays and other social gatherings, the Manas epic continues to inspire contemporary Kyrgyz writers and composers.

Studios for young Akyns in various regions of Kyrgyzstan will be opened, and contests among those attending the studios will be organized. ›››

Action plan for the Safeguarding of the Ahellil of Gourara

Benefitting country(ies): Algeria

Overview:

The Ahellil is a series of collective chants performed at social gatherings and celebrations of the Berber-speaking population of the Gouara region. Starting with short well-known songs performed by the whole group, the performances build to a conclusion featuring the most accomplished singers.

• ensuring the viability of the Ahellil of Gourara through activities including the establishment of a “Committee for the Safeguarding of the Ahellil of Gourara” (CSAG) to implement the plan;
• encouraging transmission to younger generations by teaching Ahellil (initiation) in schools and colleges of Gourara;
• organizing training workshops on Ahellil music, poetry and choreography; identifying Ahellil bearers and conducting inventory-making and data collection?
• organizing an annual festival (with Jury and Awards) to promote the Ahellil; and
• creating a website and newsletter on Ahellil, supported by the production of audio and video materials. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding and promotion of the Drametse Ngacham

Benefitting country(ies): Bhutan

Overview:

The Drametse festival, held in honour of a Buddhist guru, is attended by people from Drametse as well as neighbouring villages. The highlight of this festival is the Drametse gacham, a sacred mask dance, introduced in the sixteenth century and performed ever since.

The safeguarding project primarily seeks to create sustainable foundations for the transmission of skills and expertise related to the Drametse Ngacham to new generations of practitioners. ›››

Revitalization of bark cloth making in Uganda

Benefitting country(ies): Uganda

Overview:

The Mutaba tree provides the raw material for the delicate manufacture of bark-cloth. Produced for the royal family and other Buganda community members and highly recognized as a marker of cultural traditions, this precious cloth is worn at coronations and healing ceremonies, funerals and social gatherings.

• train craftspersons, especially young artisans, in making bark cloth; establish sustainable practices of using the Mituba trees;
• popularize the making and use of bark cloth; ensure legal protection and income generating activities; and
• promote recognition of and respect for the cultural value of bark cloth. ›››

Safeguarding the Space of Gong Culture in Dak Nong Province

Benefitting country(ies): Viet Nam

Overview:

Throughout the Central Highlands of Viet Nam, Gong ensembles are part of various ceremonies and closely linked to the communities’ daily life and the cycle of the seasons. The instruments, measuring 25 to 80 centimetres, are played by men as well as women.

The main goal of this project is to safeguard the space of gong culture in one province of the Central Highlands of Viet Nam, Dak Nong Province. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Oruro Carnival

Benefitting country(ies): Bolivia (Plurinational State of)

Overview:

The main event of the Oruro Carnival is a procession of thousands of dancers and musicians. The sumptuous costumes, beautifully painted masks, folk dances and songs bear witness to the influence of indigenous and Spanish cultures.

The project aimed at increasing the viability of the Carnival through the reinforcement of existing transmission mechanisms, the introduction of new ones and raising awareness among all concerned parties as to its function and importance. ›››

Strengthening the Transmission of the Traditional Textile Knowledge of Taquile

Benefitting country(ies): Peru

Overview:

The island of Taquile in Titicaca lake is known for its weaving tradition preserving elements from pre-Hispanic Andean cultures. Weaving is done on fixed and pedal looms to produce characteristic garments. Taquile weaving uses new, contemporary symbols and images while retaining traditional styles and techniques.

The safeguarding action plan aims at preserving and enhancing the transmission of Taquile textile arts and thus to strengthening their cultural identity. ›››

Safeguarding of the ICH of the Batammariba of Koutammarkou

Benefitting country(ies): Togo

Overview:

Koutammarkou, a site in the North-East of Togo inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2004, shelters the Batammariba (“those who work the earth”) whose houses with turrets made of earth, the takyientas (“those who guard”), have become the symbol of Togo. This project aims at ensuring the safeguarding of the rich intangible cultural heritage of the Batammariba. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Garifuna Language, Music and Dance

Benefitting country(ies): Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua

Overview:

The Garifuna communities, spread over Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, have kept alive their common language, oral traditions, music and dances. Although still practiced on various occasions, these are changing considerably as the Garifuna language is less often spoken.

The safeguarding project focuses mainly in the preservation of the Garifuna language through language revitalization, lexical expansion programs and the promotion of teaching, learning and practicing. ›››

Preparation of the implementation of the 2003 Convention

Overview:

The project, implemented by the Section of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, is composed of the following two activities:

• Acitity 1 supported the participation of experts from developing countries in meetings on the implementation of the Convention.
• Activity 2 supports the publication and translation of Manuals on the implementation of the 2003 Convention. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Rabinal Achi Dance Drama

Benefitting country(ies): Guatemala

Overview:

The Rabinal Achí dance drama is a play with musical and dance interludes based on myths about political conflicts between two Maya groups. The characteristics of the text and versification are evidence of a sophisticated pre-Hispanic Amerindian literary style.

The safeguarding plan aims at supporting the Rabinal Achí dance-drama group in their efforts to safeguard and transmit their skills, knowledge and experience. ›››

Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage and its bearers in Burundi

Benefitting country(ies): Burundi

Overview:

The preparation of the inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of Burundi is enshrined in the framework of the implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) adopted in 2003 by the UNESCO Member States.

This inventory is intended to identify oral traditions and expressions, poetry, performing arts (such as agasimbo, ingoma, intore, etc. ›››

Armenian Duduk Music

Benefitting country(ies): Armenia

Overview:

An Armenian oboe, the Duduk accompanies popular songs and dances and is played at social events such as weddings, anniversaries and funerals. The Armenian Duduk is distinctive in construction and performance technique and characterized by a warm and soft timbre.

The project aims to safeguard traditional duduk music in the difficult modern social, cultural and political context in Armenia. ›››

Safeguarding action plan of Yaaral and Degal

Benefitting country(ies): Mali

Overview:

Organized by the Peul community, the Yaaral and Degal festivals mark the twice-yearly crossing of the Niger river by herds of cattle. This seasonal migration gives rise to widely appreciated and varied celebrations and expressions, such as competitions for the most beautifully decorated herd, recitations of pastoral poems and songs. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Kankurang, Manding Initiatory Rite

Benefitting country(ies): Gambia, Senegal

Overview:

The Kankurang is a protective spirit, embodied by a masked and costumed man, at the centre of a ritual system comprising songs, traditions and initiatory rites for young boys. The ritual ensures the transmission and teaching of complex know-how and practices underpinning Manding cultural identity.

This safeguarding project is designed to protect the natural environment in which the Kankurang ritual is practiced, to create meeting spaces or “museums of performance” for communities to practice and share their knowledge, to support an inventory of practices associated with the Kankurang in order to acquire a better knowledge of it, and to sensitize public opinion to its importance. ›››

Safeguarding of Nha nhac, Vietnamese Court Music

Benefitting country(ies): Viet Nam

Overview:

An essential part of royal ceremonies, court music was a means of communicating with and paying tribute to the gods and kings as well as transmitting knowledge about nature and the universe. This musical tradition has been kept alive by the few surviving former court musicians.

The project includes documentation as well as a systematic inventory of all practitioners of Nha nhac. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding, Promotion and Development of the Cultural Space of the Bedu in the regions of Petra and Wadi Rum

Benefitting country(ies): Jordan

Overview:

The Bedu have preserved wide-ranging knowledge and skills related to the area around Petra and Wadi Rum, including traditional medicine, camel husbandry, tent-making craftsmanship, tracking and climbing as well as rituals of coffee-making and oral traditions reflecting their mythology.

The principal goal of the project is to safeguard the main features of the lifestyle and oral expressions of the Bedu that have developed in two selected areas of Southern Jordan (Petra and Wadi Rum region) over the course of millennia and that are being lost due to inevitable societal changes. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of El Güegüense

Benefitting country(ies): Nicaragua

Overview:

Popular throughout Nicaragua, the El Güegüense is a satirical street drama accompanied by music and dance, developed in the eighteenth century. The beautifully costumed and masked protagonist, El Güegüe, cleverly uses verbal artistry in Spanish, Basque and Nahuatl, an Amerindian language, to demonstrate subservience to the colonial authorities while ridiculing them. ›››

Safeguarding traditional games of the Afar and the Somali people in the Horn of Africa

Benefitting country(ies): Djibouti

Overview:

Traditional board games have long been an important pastime among the nomadic societies of the Horn of Africa. Practice and transmission of these games is now at risk, though, as a result of urbanization and the effects of globalization.

This safeguarding project aims at revitalizing the transmission of the knowledge and skills related to traditional board and ball games in the Horn of Africa. ›››

Safeguarding the Mbende Jerusarema Dance

Benefitting country(ies): Zimbabwe

Overview:

A popular dance style practised by the Zezuru Shona people living in eastern Zimbabwe, the Mbende Jerusarema is characterized by acrobatic and sensual movements by women and men, driven by a polyrhythmic drummer accompanied by men playing woodblock clappers and by women handclapping, yodelling and blowing whistles.

• organizing workshops for master practitioners and training teachers,
• providing opportunities for youth to learn the dance and be introduced to its history and meaning. ›››

Safeguarding the Songs of the Moon, traditional Swahili music from Tanzania (Unguja and Pemba) and the Comoros

Benefitting country(ies): Comoros, United Republic of Tanzania

Overview:

Taarab music is a traditional form of Swahili cultural expression. Popularly known as Swahili wedding music, taarab musicians and music are an essential part of various multi-day festivities in Zanzibar. Complementary to the activities implemented by UNESCO Dar es Salaam in 2005-2007 in the village of Mahonda and Pemba island– rural areas of the islands of Zanzibar, the project aims at further safeguarding the taarab music in Zanzibar and the Comoros by strengthening the teaching of traditional music styles in remote areas. ›››

Safeguarding traditional Somali performing arts

Benefitting country(ies): Kenya, Somalia

Overview:

Before the civil war Somalia enjoyed a vibrant cultural life, in which traditional performing arts played a major role. Aware of the role that cultural practices may play in fostering social cohesion and in reconciliation processes in future post-conflict Somalia, the project aims to

Action plan for the safeguarding of the Song of Saana

Benefitting country(ies): Yemen

Overview:

The Song of Sana’a is a group of songs accompanied by the fine sound of the Yemeni lute and a lightly struck copper tray. The poetic repertory, written in both Yemeni dialects and classical Arabic, abounds in wordplay and is renowned for its emotional content.

The project was designed to:

• promote knowledge about the Song of Sana’a;
• raise awareness about its functions and its importance for society; and
• ensure its safeguarding through teaching, research and inventory making activities. ›››

Safeguarding of traditional music in Ethiopia

Benefitting country(ies): Ethiopia

Overview:

The project is composed of the following four activities.

Preservation, Revitalization and Promotion of Jemaa el-Fna Square, Marrakech

Benefitting country(ies): Morocco

Overview:

Dating back to the fourteenth century, the triangular Jemaa el-Fna Square has become the symbol of Marrakech, protected as part of Morocco’s artistic heritage since 1922. It features a unique concentration of traditions, such as storytelling, healing and various forms of entertainment as well as commercial activities.

The project consists of pedagogical workshops, which have been organized in several schools around Marrakech. ›››

Safeguarding of Lakalaka, Sung Speeches with Choreographed Movements

Benefitting country(ies): Tonga

Overview:

A blend of dances, recitations, songs and music, the Lakalaka involves up to several hundred people aligned in rows dancing in rapid and energetic movements. Practised by communities throughout the islands, it features themes related to Tongan history, legends, values and social structures.

• Document and record information and knowledge about Lakalaka and its practitioners;
• Enhance knowledge, skills and appreciation of Lakalaka traditions, especially among younger generations;
• Raise awareness among the Tongan population and internationally about the importance of safeguarding Lakalaka. ›››

Action plan for the safeguarding of the Royal Ballet

Benefitting country(ies): Cambodia

Overview:

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Graceful hand gestures, elaborate choreography and stunning costumes distinguish the Khmer classical dance. This project has been designed to ensure the safeguarding of the Khmer Royal Ballet and to support the preservation and promotion of this cultural expression.

The project seeks to provide sustainable foundations for the transmission of skills to the younger generations and to promote awareness of the value of – as well as of the importance to safeguard - this intangible cultural heritage among the Cambodian community. ›››

Organization of three sub-regional capacity-building workshops for Africa

Overview:

The project (209 988 USD), co-funded by UNESCO regular programme, aimed at supporting the inscription of African intangible cultural heritage on the lists of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, through organizing the following three Capacity-Building Workshops for African states:

• Sub-regional Capacity-Building Workshop on the Implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for East and South Africa
• Sub-regional Capacity-Building WorksSub-regional workshop on the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for West and Central Africa
• Capacity-Building workshop on the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for the African States Parties to the 2003 Convention
  

National consultation workshop

Benefitting country(ies): Papua New Guinea

Action Plan for the Safeguarding and Promotion of the Oral Tradition of Gelede

Benefitting country(ies): Benin, Nigeria, Togo

Overview:

The Gelede ceremony, held in honour of the primordial mother Iyà Nlà, is directed by women, reflecting their important role in Yoruba life. After weeks of preparations, singers and drummers open the night-time ceremony, followed by an orchestra and masked dancers wearing splendid costumes.

The project aims at safeguarding the Gelede tradition in communities across Benin, Nigeria and Togo. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Traditional Knowledge, Oral and Graphic Expressions of the Wajapi in Amapa

Benefitting country(ies): Brazil

Overview:

Wajapi communities in northern Amazonia have a long history of producing and using vegetable dyes to adorn their bodies with geometric motifs and symbols. Motifs of the jaguar, anaconda, butterfly and fish animate the worldview and oral traditions of the Wajapi.

The safeguarding project aims at supporting the Wajãpi in their efforts to document their skills, experiences and knowledge related to their manifold oral and graphic expressions as they are embodied, most prominently, in the kusiwa graphic system. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Carnival of Barranquilla

Benefitting country(ies): Colombia

Overview:

Masqueraded dancers, actors and musicians delight crowds through performances marked by European, African and indigenous influences. To enhance the transmission of the tradition, the Children’s Carnival was created and has become a vital element of the carnival.

• Field research to create an inventory and database and to select the expressions of the Carnival to be safeguarded
• Creation of a cultural map of the Colombian Caribbean region
• Support of the formation of the Network of the Carnival of Barranquilla, consisting of institutions involved in the preservation of this heritage. ›››

Safeguarding Palestinian Hikaye

Benefitting country(ies): Palestine

Overview:

The Hikaye narrative presents fictitious and contemporary issues of Palestine society from the perspective of women storytellers. Narrated in colloquial Arabic, its expressive power lies in the use of language, speech rhythms and vocal inflections.

A global action plan was elaborated to ensure the safeguarding of the Palestinian Hikaye as a form of oral expression through training, scientific research and archiving as well as support to the ongoing practice of the narratives. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of La Tumba Francesa

Benefitting country(ies): Cuba

Overview:

The dance, song and drumming style known as Tumba Francesa (French Drum) was brought to Cuba by Haitian slaves in the 1790s. It embodies one of the oldest and most tangible links to the Afro-Haitian heritage of Cuba’s Oriente province and developed from an eighteenth- century fusion of music from Dahomey in West Africa and traditional French dances. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding and Revitalization of the Oral Tradition of the Aka Pygmies of the Central African Republic

Benefitting country(ies): Central African Republic, Congo

Overview:

The polyphonic songs of the Aka Pygmies are an integral part of their hunting and life-cycle rituals, a tool of communication and reaffirmation of community values. With socio-economic changes, deforestation and rural exodus, the Aka traditions are inclined to gradually disappear.

The project began with field research focused on documentation and anthropological data collection in the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo. ›››

Safeguarding of Vanuatu Sand Drawings

Benefitting country(ies): Vanuatu

Overview:

Sand drawing is a multifunctional “writing” produced on the ground, in sand, volcanic ash or clay, using one finger to draw a graceful, often symmetrical composition of geometric patterns. It serves as a means of communication among the members of some 80 ethnolinguistic groups.

• Raise awareness about the importance of the sand drawings at the community, provincial and national levels ;
• Revitalize the practice of sand drawings in tradition-bearing communities and enhance the conditions for the on-going transmission of the tradition;
• Incorporate the study of sand drawings into school curricula;
• Elaborate a national law for the protection of traditional knowledge and culture so as to safeguard sand drawings and related cultural expressions. ›››

National inventory revival of the traditional ceramics

Benefitting country(ies): Uzbekistan

Overview:

Uzbek potters used special techniques for producing the famous bluecoloured glaze to decorate vessels and tiles. Many sacred monuments in the city of Samarkand, the ancient centre of this art, memorialize this century-old tradition.

The project aimed to revive the technique of producing the traditional plant-based glaze of the region for application in ceramic vessels and architectural restoration, and to support the potters working within the historical ceramic traditions of Central Asia. ›››

Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Sosso-Bala

Benefitting country(ies): Guinea

Overview:

A sacred symbol of freedom and identity of the Manding community, the Sosso-bala is a wooden xylophone or balafon played on occasions such as the Muslim New Year and burials. The master players, holding an important position in Manding society, teach children as young as seven.

The project includes the study and documentation of customary methods of conservation and transmission of oral expressions and traditional music relating to the Sosso-Bala. ›››

Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Woodcrafting Knowledge of the Zafimaniry

Benefitting country(ies): Madagascar

Overview:

The Zafimaniry community of about 25,000 people practices a unique wood crafting culture. Most wooden surfaces in their villages – from utensils to houses – are delicately crafted, displaying elaborate ornamentation. These motifs carry rich symbolic significance related to Zafimaniry cosmovision and values.

The project will help to raise awareness within the Zafimaniry community about the value of their traditions and improve living standards among them through the creation of income-generating activities. ›››

Action plan for safeguarding the Maroon Heritage of Moore Town

Benefitting country(ies): Jamaica

Overview:

The Moore Town Maroons elaborated new collective religious ceremonies that incorporated various spiritual traditions. These expressions and practices, which were then named Kromanti Play, continue to represent the very foundation of Maroon identity. As part of their heritage, the inhabitants of Moore Town also possess a unique system of communally-held “treaty lands”, a local political structure and the use of the abeng, a side-blown “talking” horn of Jamaican origin which serves as a means of long-distance communication. ›››

Safeguarding and Transmission of the Hudhud Chants of the Ifugao

Benefitting country(ies): Philippines

Overview:

Well known for their rice terraces and extensive knowledge of rice cultivation, the Ifugao perform the Hudhud chants during the sowing and harvest seasons and at funeral wakes. The chants are transmitted orally and tell about ancestral heroes, customary law, traditional practices and religious beliefs.

The project aims to collect, document and record the Hudhud as well as integrate it into local school programmes, create schools in order to teach it and ensure its transmission as a living tradition to new generations of practitioners. ›››

Oxherding and Oxcart Traditions in Costa Rica

Benefitting country(ies): Costa Rica

Overview:

The safeguarding project’s objective is to contribute to revitalizing and safeguarding the oxherding and oxcart tradition in Costa Rica through education and awareness-raising activities, empowerment of oxherders’ and artisans’ organizations and inventory and research activities. A national network for safeguarding and revitalizing the tradition will be established, and training workshops organized on cultural management and resource management for members of oxherders’ and artisans’ organizations. ›››

Implementation of the National Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Wayang Puppet Theatre of Indonesia

Benefitting country(ies): Indonesia

Overview:

To enliven the highly crafted rod puppets, master puppeteers manipulate the swivelling arms and legs by means of sticks, accompanied by a narrator and gamelan orchestra. The plays combine local myths, Indian epics and Persian tales with contemporary issues.

While this project encompasses many activities, such as field research, documentation and a publication on the Wayang, its most important component is an in-depth training programme. ›››

Transmission of traditional Knowledge in Burundian Refugee Camps of Tanzania in view of a sustainable repatriation

Benefitting country(ies): United Republic of Tanzania

Overview:

The project, elaborated as a result of a fieldwork carried out in 2006 by Dr Fouéré, implemented story-telling sessions as a way to transmit Burundian traditional knowledge to young Burundian refugees settled in refugee camps in Western Tanzania. This one-year activity was aimed to facilitate the sustainable repatriation of refugees to Burundi and their smooth reintegration into their society. ›››

Safeguarding and Transmission of the Kutiyattam Sanskrit Theatre

Benefitting country(ies): India

Overview:

Kutiyattam is the oldest surviving form of Sanskrit theatre in Kerala, India, which developed a rich symbolic set of facial gestures, masks, and colorful costumes. This project aimed to bring Kutiyattam performers, previously working separately, together in creative exchange and expand the interest in their art. The long-term objectives were to:

A major result was that for the first time Kutiyattam performers cooperated in an association to address common issues and exchange practices, which in the past was kept privately in the last three custodian families. ›››

Safeguarding Shashmaqom, the Classical Music of Central Asia

Benefitting country(ies): Uzbekistan, Tajikistan

Overview:

Le projet prévoit la production de documents audiovisuels (sous forme numérique) sur le shashmaqom par une équipe de spécialistes, de scientifiques et de musicologues dans les deux pays, la publication d’études scientifiques, l’organisation conjointe par les deux pays de conférences, d’expositions et de festivals et une aide aux facteurs reconnus d’instruments de musique. ›››

Bi-national Action Plan for the Safeguarding and Revitalization of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of the Zápara Community

Benefitting country(ies): Ecuador, Peru

Overview:

The Zápara communities in the Amazon have developed a complex oral culture expressed through their myths, rituals, artistic and medical practices. Their traditions are deeply marked by their environment and reflect a profound knowledge of the Amazonian jungle.

The project aimed at facilitaing the revival of the Zápara language and to encourage binational encounters in the hope of strengthening the organization of the Zápara community in Ecuador and Peru. ›››

Implementation of the National Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Traditional Morin Khuur Music of Mongolia

Benefitting country(ies): Mongolia

Overview:

A prominent musical expression among nomadic Mongolians, the Morin Khuur is an integral part of rituals and everyday activities. Distinct in sound, this two-stringed fiddle is characterized by its long neck bearing a carved horse head, reflecting the all-important cult of the horse among the nomad communities.

Intensive field research was undertaken to obtain updated information on diverse forms of Morin Khuur and its master players. ›››

Traditional Money Banks in Vanuatu

Benefitting country(ies): Vanuatu

Overview:

-PHOTO:00407-MED-R- This project was designed to establish and promote traditional money banks that would allow people who are involved in the production of various forms of traditional wealth to continue producing such wealth while those who are primarily involved in the cash economy can have access to the traditional valuables needed for ceremonial activities. ›››

Enhancing Women’s Role as Custodians and Artisans of Egyptian Handicrafts

Benefitting country(ies): Egypt

Overview:

For over centuries, women have used their innovative and artistic talents to create artefacts passing them from mother to daughter. The “Tally” embroidery, famous in Upper Egypt, and the cross-stitches embroidery of both Siwa and Sinai are unique forms of art dating back to the 19th century. This heritage is under threat because of the permeation of advanced and easier technologies, and a lack of market awareness. ›››

Safeguarding and Promotion of Georgian Traditional Polyphony

Benefitting country(ies): Georgia

Overview:

Polyphonic singing is a popular tradition that used to pervade all areas of everyday life in Georgia, ranging from field work to songs for curing illnesses and Christmas carols. There are three types of polyphony in Georgia, each performed in a different region.

The project enabled not only the promotion of research and documentation on traditional polyphony, but also its transmission to younger generations. ›››

Public awareness campaign in Colombia on the importance of safeguarding the intangible heritage (pilot project)

Benefitting country(ies): Colombia

Overview:

The Colombian government developed this pilot project within the framework of a promotional campaign titled Colombian Intangible Cultural Heritage: Show Who You Are. Through newspapers, national television stations and radio announcements, the project promotes the concept of intangible heritage, thereby sensitizing the general public as to the value of various types of intangible expressions from the country’s different cultures and regions. ›››

Establishment of Inventory and Preparation of a Ten-Year Master Plan for Safeguarding the Traditional Culture and Folklore of the Boysun District

Benefitting country(ies): Uzbekistan

Overview:

Boysun, located in south-eastern Uzbekistan, is known as one of the oldest inhabited areas of Central Asia. Local people gather to practice traditional rites such as the sowing ritual, wedding ceremonies, circumcisions of boys, funeral rites, and shamanistic rituals.

The project action plan included training tradition bearers, teachers and students to undertake field research, involving audio-visual documentation, ethnomusicological methodology and practices, as well as the establishment and maintenance of an electronic inventory of the performing arts, popular traditions and handicrafts of the Boysun district. ›››

The Safeguarding and Revitalization of Lithuanian Cross Crafting and Its Symbolism: Phase I of the Action Plan

Benefitting country(ies): Lithuania

Overview:

Cross-crafting in Lithuania includes making crosses and altars and performing the rituals consecrating those crosses. Placed on roadsides at village entrances, near monuments and in cemeteries, and linked to Catholic ceremonies and harvest celebrations, crosses are a symbol of the unity of the community.

Under this project, both cross crafting practitioners and data collectors were trained with the help of experts from the Lithuanian Folk Culture Centre. ›››

Improved Traditional Bead Production and Marketing in West Africa

Benefitting country(ies): Ghana, Mali

Overview:

Beads are widely used in West African cultures; major passages of life, for instance, are marked by the wearing of appropriate beads. In addition to their function in social and cultural expressions, the continuation of beads production is important for economic empowerment and sustainable development.

With a view to strengthening traditional beads production, the project included a survey on the production of traditional beads in Ghana and Mali and on their marketing. ›››

Promotion and documentation of women’s intangible cultural heritage in Mauritania

Benefitting country(ies): Mauritania

Overview:

The aim of this initiative, implemented in 2004/2005, was to promote the role of women as bearers and creators of a rich intangible heritage, in particular oral traditions (stories, tales, proverbs, etc.) and traditional knowledge (cooking, traditional craftsmanship etc.) in the Maghreb region. The pilot project of this initiative was launched in Mauritania, a country where oral heritage plays a particularly important role for the transmission of traditional knowledge and cultural identity. ›››

Revitalisation of Traditional Masquerade Performing Arts and Costume Making

Benefitting country(ies): Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis

Overview:

Masquerade performing arts and costume-making traditions in the Caribbean derive from traditions of enslaved persons brought to the region during the three hundred year Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. These performing arts, that are rich in symbolism and social values, encompass various significant narrative and creative traditions, and play a vital role in maintaining the cultural identity within a community. ›››

Safeguarding, Revitalization and Promotion of the Kunqu Opera

Benefitting country(ies): China

Overview:

Rooted in popular theatre, Kun Qu influenced many other forms of Chinese opera. It is characterized by a dynamic structure, rhythmic patterns, typical melodies and complex choreography combining acrobatics and symbolic gestures. Kun Qu is considered the oldest form of Chinese opera still performed.

This project funded the annual National Kunqu Festival in Suzhou, China, where twenty-one prizes were awarded to performers from Kunqu opera schools across the country. ›››

Strengthening national capacities for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in eight countries in Africa and the Arab Region: assessing needs and developing project proposals

Benefitting country(ies): Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Madagascar, Palestine, Sudan, Yemen, South Sudan

Overview:

The aim of this project funded by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (ADTCA) is to lay a solid foundation to support eight countries in Africa and the Arab region (Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Madagascar, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen) in their efforts to safeguard their living heritage, in accordance with the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. ›››

News and activities:

• 04-05-2015 – Progress in implementing an eight-country capacity-building project in the Arab States and Africa
• 03-04-2015 – ADTCA needs assessment in Sudan
• 09-03-2015 – Planning for national capacity building strategies in eight countries in Africa and the Arab Region: South Sudan needs assessment completed