© UNESCO

Within the framework of UNESCO’s global capacity-building strategy for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003), UNESCO Addis Ababa is organizing a workshop for 32 participants:

• 12 officials from nine Regional Culture and Tourism Bureaus;
  
• 8 officials from the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism;
  
• 3 scholars from Addis Ababa University;
  
• 3 from NGOs working on related topics and 4 from communities

It will focus on familiarizing participants with the basic concepts, measure and mechanisms of the Intangible Heritage Convention, recognizing that effective implementation depends upon profound knowledge and understanding of all of these. The workshop will be facilitated by Ms Deidre Prins-Solani and Mr Amareswar Galla, two facilitators from a network of 65 experts who participated in a training-of-trainers workshop series on how to use the UNESCO curricula specifically designed to build capacity on implementing the Intangible Heritage Convention.

The global capacity-building strategy put in place with the support of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and UNESCO’s regular programme budget, will continue to enjoy highest priority. It currently includes an initial series of workshops addressing the most urgent training needs:

1) ratification
2) implementing the Convention at the national level
3) community-based inventorying
4) elaborating nominations to the Urgent Safeguarding List

The Addis Ababa workshop is part and parcel of this important initiative.

As part of UNESCO’s global capacity building strategy to implement Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, a two day workshop on Ratification of the Convention was organised in Dili, Timor-Leste from 14 to 15 November 2011. This workshop, organized jointly by the State Secretariat of Culture of the Ministry of Education for the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and UNESCO Office in Jakarta, gathered some 40 participants including governmental officials from the relevant ministries, academicians, NGOs, and chief of cultural section in the districts in Timor-Leste.

Capacity building for the implementation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention more effectively at national level is currently a high priority in UNESCO’s programmes and UNESCO has dedicated great efforts in developing training materials on following topics addressing the most urgent needs of the states: Ratification, Implementation of the Convention, Community-based Inventorying and Preparing Nominations for the Lists of the Convention. The objective of this workshop was therefore to assist participants in acquiring a broad understanding of the Convention, and how and why member states may wish to ratify it. A profound knowledge and understanding of the Convention and its concepts, measures and mechanisms is pivotal for its successful ratification and future implementation.

The workshop consisted of ‘classroom’ style training activities to demonstrate the essential features of the Convention, to acquire a broad understanding of the Convention, to learn best practices of the ratified countries, to guide practically the country’s ratification to the Convention. It is divided into three main topics:

1. Introduction to the Convention and its key concepts;
2. Implementing the Convention at the national level; and
3. Participation of communities and roles of stakeholders in safeguarding.

© UNESCO

Second capacity-building workshop on the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: the role of communities in safeguarding and inventorying ICH
The workshop objectives are as follows:
1. Create awareness among the general public and local communities on the Convention, providing knowledge, tools and empowering them to take safeguarding measures for their own cultural expressions. Provide technical and practical knowledge regarding the interaction with and involvement of NGO’s, universities and the Government in the implementation of the Convention.
2. Generate a space for debate and exchange of experiences, good practices and challenges that can help national and local authorities make better decisions and take steps for implementing the Convention with the participation and consent of the communities involved.

UNESCO is rolling out a comprehensive strategy to contribute to a better understanding of the key concepts of the Convention, the obligations of States Parties and the Convention’s mechanisms of international cooperation and assistance. It is in this context that a national capacity-building workshop on the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention is being organized in Santiago, Chile, on 2-3 of November, 2011.

The workshop will bring together local communities, national and local authorities, non-governmental organizations, academics from universities and research institutions, and the general public.

UNESCO trained facilitator and expert on ICH, Mrs. Soledad Mujica Bayly of Peru will conduct the workshop, in Spanish (there will be no interpretation services).

• List of participants: Spanish

The first national capacity building workshop on community-based inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in Montenegro was organized by the UNESCO Venice Office in close cooperation with the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro. The workshop held from 24 to 31 October 2011 in Cetinje, Montenegro has brought together experts, NGOs, community members and actors at the heart of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The objective is to strengthen capacities in inventorying intangible cultural heritage on the national level. The 8 days workshop has provided participants with the necessary knowledge, skills and tools for effective documentation and inventorying of intangible cultural heritage under the 2003 Convention and also included a fieldwork practicum. The facilitators, Ms. Chiara Bortolotto from the Université Libre in Brussels and Ms. Sasha SREĆKOVIĆ from the Ethnographic Museum in Belgrade were both trained by UNESCO within a special training of trainers program.

Documents

• Agenda: English
• List of participants: English

UNESCO is rolling out a comprehensive strategy to contribute to a better understanding of the key concepts of the Convention, the obligations of States Parties and the Convention’s mechanisms of international cooperation and assistance. It is in this context that two regional capacity-building workshops on the role of NGOs in implementing the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention are organized in Africa (in Libreville, Gabon, in September) and in Latin America (in Quito, Ecuador, in October).
The workshop for Latin America will be held from 19 to 21 October 2011 in Quito, Ecuador and will bring together eighteen Latin-American NGOs accredited by the General Assembly of States Parties to act in an advisory capacity to the Committee or recommended for accreditation. The objective of the workshop is to provide participants with technical knowledge regarding the role of NGOs in implementing the Convention at both the national and international levels, to create a space for debate and exchange of experiences, good practices and challenges and to reinforce dialogue and cooperation among NGOs at the regional level.
UNESCO trained facilitators, Mr Fabián Bedón Samaniego from the National Institute of Cultural Heritage in Ecuador and Mr Francisco Javier López Morales from the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Mexico will conduct the workshop. The workshop will be held in Spanish and Portuguese with simultaneous interpretation.

Documents:

• Agenda: Spanish
• List of participants: Spanish

© UNESCO

Within the framework of global capacity-building strategy for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) at national level, the UNESCO multi-country office in Bamako, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, organized a workshop which brought together the directors of the cultural heritage of Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea together with more than twenty representatives of Malian Institutions involved in safeguarding and management of intangible cultural heritage.

The workshop focused on familiarizing participants with the basic concepts, measures and mechanisms of the Convention, recognizing that effective implementation depends upon profound knowledge and understanding of all the people involved in the safeguarding of living heritage. The workshop, which was held from 10 to 14 October 2011 in Bamako was facilitated by Ms Claudine Angoué (Gabon) and M. Ludovic Kibora (Burkina Faso), two members of the network of 65 experts who participated in a training-of-trainers workshop series on how to use the UNESCO curricula specifically designed to build capacity on implementing the Convention. Currently the curriculum includes four themes: (a) ratification, (b) implementing the Convention at the national level, (c) community-based inventorying, (d) elaborating nominations to the Intangible Heritage Convention’s List.

The global UNESCO capacity-building strategy was put in place with the support of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and UNESCO’s regular programme budget. Some US$7 million in extra-budgetary resources have been mobilized to implement the capacity-building strategy. This generous support was granted by the Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Flanders (Belgium), Hungary, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain and the United Arab Emirates. It will continue to enjoy highest priority.

• List of participants: French
• Agenda: French

UNESCO is rolling out a comprehensive strategy to contribute to a better understanding of the key concepts of the Convention, the obligations of States Parties and the Convention’s mechanisms of international cooperation and assistance. It is in this context that two regional capacity-building workshops on the role of NGOs in implementing the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention are organized in Africa (in Libreville, Gabon, in September) and in Latin America (in Quito, Ecuador, in October).
The workshop for Africa will be held from 28 to 30 September 2011 in Libreville, Gabon, and will bring together thirteen African NGOs accredited by the General Assembly of States Parties to act in an advisory capacity to the Committee or recommended for accreditation. The objective of the workshop is to provide participants with technical knowledge regarding the role of NGOs in implementing the Convention at both the national and international levels, to create a space for debate and exchange of experiences, good practices and challenges and to reinforce dialogue and cooperation among NGOs at the regional level.
UNESCO trained facilitators, Ms Deidre Prins-Solani from the Centre for Heritage Development in Africa in Kenya and Ms Claudine-Augée Angoue from the Omar Bongo University in Gabon will conduct the workshop. The workshop will be held in French and English with simultaneous interpretation.

Documents

• Agenda: English|French
• List of participants: French

Within the framework of the programme activity “Supporting capacities for inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in Central Asia” the Kyrgyz National Commission for UNESCO in cooperation with the UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office organized a two-day training-workshop on the implementation of the 2003 Convention and inventorying of ICH in two regions of the Kyrgyz Republic, from 18 to 19 July 2011 in Talas and from 15 to 16 September 2011 in Osh.

The main aim of the training-workshop was to strengthen national capacities for the inventorying and managing intangible cultural heritage. Presentations highlighted goals of the Convention, obligations of State-Parties, and the Convention’s mechanisms. It provided participants with the necessary knowledge about a methodology concerning inventory making of intangible cultural heritage.

During the training-workshop 20 participants from governmental organizations, scientific institutions, NGOs and local communities discussed the current situation in the field of identification and documentation of elements of intangible cultural heritage and national strategy on safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was ratified by the Kyrgyz Republic in 2006.

• List of participants: English
• Agenda: English

Organization of an awareness-raising and training workshop of resource persons from the Ministry of Culture and other institutions on the inventory methods of the 2003 Convention, from 12 to 14 September 2011.

This workshop was held as part of the implementation of the recommendations of the sub-regional training of trainers workshop organized in Libreville (January-February 2011) by Headquarters (PCI section) for the capacity building and the establishment a pool of sub-regional trainers.

Two workshops were held in Afghanistan in September 2011, one in Kabul and one in Bamiyan. The Kabul workshop was hosted by the Ministry of Information and Culture in the National Museum of Afghanistan. An international exert in intangible heritage safeguarding and a representative of ICOM (Prof A. Galla) were brought in to facilitate both workshops. As the implementation of the Convention and understanding of the concept of ICH is in its infancy in Afghanistan, the agenda followed the introductory aspects of documentation, promotion and safeguarding of ICH. The workshops were both well attended and well received, with participants from various local and national government departments of the Ministry of Information and Culture, both Kabul and Bamiyan Universities and representatives from several NGOs with an interest in ICH.

In Bamiyan in particular, there was a great eagerness to document and promote ICH as another significant component of the World Heritage properties, in this region where a large number of people live within and/or close to the boundaries. In this regard, participants were very interested in seeking UNESCO’s assistance in raising funds for a new museum in Bamiyan, which could become a centre for ICH documentation and implementation of the Convention.

Within the framework of the programme activity “Supporting capacities for inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in Central Asia” the Kyrgyz National Commission for UNESCO in cooperation with the UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office organized a two-day training-workshop on the implementation of the 2003 Convention and inventorying of ICH in two regions of the Kyrgyz Republic, from 18 to 19 July 2011 in Talas and from 15 to 16 September 2011 in Osh.

The main aim of the training-workshop was to strengthen national capacities for the inventorying and managing intangible cultural heritage. Presentations highlighted goals of the Convention, obligations of State-Parties, and the Convention’s mechanisms. It provided participants with the necessary knowledge about a methodology concerning inventory making of intangible cultural heritage.

During the training-workshop 20 participants from governmental organizations, scientific institutions, NGOs and local communities discussed the current situation in the field of identification and documentation of elements of intangible cultural heritage and national strategy on safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was ratified by the Kyrgyz Republic in 2006.

• List of participants: English
• Agenda: English

A ratifcation workshop was held from 12 to 13 July 2011 in Moroni. It was organized in close collaboration with the Director of Culture in the Ministry of Education, Culture and Arts and Mr. Aboubakar Boina, UNESCO focal point in Comoros.

Thirty five participants from the Union Government, the three Islands of Comoros (Grand Comoros, Anjouan and Moreli) NGOs and private sector attended the workshop.

A five day workshop on the implementation of the 2003 Convention was held in Tanzania. The workshop brought together 30 participants from Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. The training was conducted by two facilitators trained by UNESCO. It was organized in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the UNESCO national commission.

Many states parties are intensifying their efforts to meet their obligations concerning the Convention for the safeguarding of the Intangible cultural heritage of 2003. The global capacity-building strategy developed by UNESCO covers the various components of this instrument, including ratification, awareness raising, implementation at the national level, and inventorying and safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage present in the territory of States Parties. The main objective is to assist States parties in implementing the Convention by adopting appropriate measures.

UNESCO Beirut regional Office in Lebanon contributes to these efforts by organizing a workshop on the implementation of the Convention in Broumana, scheduled for July 11 to 15, 2011. This workshop is the first for the countries of the region since the training of trainers, which took place in Abu Dhabi from April 10 to 14, 2011. Participants are from Syria and Lebanon, and come from academia, non- governmental organizations and the public sector.

Facilitators of the workshop are Ahmed Skounti, Professor at the National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage Sciences in Morocco and Annie Tohmé-Tabet, Associate professor of anthropology at Saint Joseph University in Lebanon, both of whom have been accredited and certified by UNESCO.

The workshop takes place at Printania Hotel in Broumana in the Eastern high suburbs of Beirut.

The capacity-building workshop on implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage for representatives of the Ministry of Culture of Cameroon, Cameroon National Commission for UNESCO,
media, university professors and Cameroon traditional community leaders, was held in Kribi from 7 to 10 June 2011.

Two UNESCO experts, benefiting from the training of trainers in Libreville (January 2011), have been selected by the organization to facilitate the workshop in Kribi.

This workshop was designed to develop and strengthen the capacity of participants on issues of safeguarding intangible heritage in the national context specific to Cameroon, in order to enable them to contribute to the implementation of the Convention. The ratification of the Convention by the country followed the workshop.

With its 150 million population and some 450 cultural groups, Nigeria has an immense and diverse canvas of intangible cultural heritage in need of safeguarding. The workshop entitled “Domestication of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage” which took place from June 1-3, 2011, in Enugu, aimed at building the capacity of national stakeholders in doing so, through a better understanding of the concepts and institutional mechanisms set up in of this instrument.

The workshop was organized by the UNESCO Country Office in Abuja, with the active support of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), and Enugu State Government. A total of 42 participants were trained on this occasion, including Directors of Culture representing the 6 Geo-political regions of Nigeria, UNESCO accredited cultural and community-based NGOs, personnel from cultural agencies under the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Ministry of Culture officials at the Federal level (national level) and the media.

The workshop was conducted by Mr Silverse Anami from Kenya and Mr Denja Abdullahi from Nigeria, two UNESCO-trained facilitators. They used the modules and training methods contained in the implementation materials developed by UNESCO in strengthening national capacities for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, while integrating local examples as much as possible to suit the context.

At the end of the workshop, participants released a communiqué (English) which included some resolutions on follow-up measures to be undertaken.

Documents

• Agenda of the capacity-building workshop on the domestication of the Convention in Nigeria: English
• Communiqué issued at the end of the Capacity Building Workshop on the Domestication of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Nigeria: English

© UNESCO

Within the framework of national capacity-building strategy for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003), the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture in partnership and the UNESCO Office in Bujumbura organized a workshop in Bujumbura from 26 to 28 May 2011. The workshop brought together 40 participants (36 Burundian delegates and two delegations from neighboring countries, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo).

The workshop focused on familiarizing participants with the Intangible Heritage Convention, its basic concepts, measures and mechanisms, recognizing that effective implementation depends upon profound knowledge and understanding of all the people involved in the safeguarding of living heritage. The workshop facilitated by M. Domitien Nizigiyimana and M. Louis Bazubwabo, two members of the network of 65 experts who participated in a training-of-trainers workshop series on how to use the UNESCO curricula specifically designed to build capacity on implementing the Convention. Currently the curriculum includes four themes: (a) ratification, (b) implementing the Convention at the national level, (c) community-based inventorying, (d) elaborating nominations to the Intangible Heritage Convention’s List.

The global capacity-building strategy put in place with the support of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and UNESCO’s regular programme budget. Some US$7 million in extra-budgetary resources have been mobilized to implement the capacity-building strategy. This generous support was granted by the Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Flanders (Belgium), Hungary, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain and the United Arab Emirates. It will l continue to enjoy highest priority. It will continue to enjoy highest priority in UNESCO’s Programme.

The Bujumbura workshop is part and parcel of this important initiative.

• Liste of participants: French

© UNESCO

The consultative meeting of experts and training “Strengthening national capacities for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage” takes place in Minsk (Belarus) from 18 to 21 May 2011. The event aims to strengthen national capacities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova and the Russian Federation for the Safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage present in their territory. It also aims to raise awareness of the importance of this heritage for sustainable development, taking into account the perspectives of gender and youth.

The training utilizes materials developed by UNESCO and the network of regional facilitators trained as part of the overall strategy of the organization for capacity building in the implementation of the Convention on Intangible Heritage (2003).

The event is organized by the Cluster Office of UNESCO in Moscow in partnership with the Institute of Arts, Ethnography and Folklore, with the participation of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus and the National Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO.

• Liste of participants: English
• Agenda: English

© UNESCO

Within the framework of UNESCO’s global capacity-building strategy for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003), a four day training session was held in collaboration with PNCA (Pakistan National Council of the Arts), Islamabad from 2-5 May 2011. A second Training Session was also held on 25th June 2011 at PNCA, which focused on the preparation of the Urgent Safeguarding Lists, Representative List and Best Practices within the framework of the Convention. The details for the related workshops are below.

WORKSHOP 1: 2-5 MAY 2011
A four day training session was held in collaboration with PNCA from 2-5 May 2011. There were thirteen participants including staff members of PNCA, Lok Virsa (The National Institute of Folk & Traditional Heritage), and two journalists. The training session focused on National Implementation and Community-based inventorying components, which was delivered through lectures and field visits. The presentations for this component of the Training were based on the material generated by UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Section, Paris, which was tailored to the Pakistani situation. Lectures/presentations were made by Sajida Vandal supported by a lecture given by Yawar Ansari on the GIS Cultural database system and a presentation by Abid of the Mardan University, who was earlier the field coordinator for the Cultural Mapping of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan. A presentation was also made by Adnan, Jawad (UNESCO staff) and Abid on the Cultural Mapping template, equipment and sharing of experiences gained through their work in KP.

WORKSHOP 2: 25 JUNE 2011

The second Training Session was held on the 25th of June 2011 at PNCA. The training focused on the preparation of Urgent Safeguarding Lists, Representative List and Best Practices within the framework of the Convention. Sixteen persons, mainly from Lok Virsa and PNCA, attended. The training was done through interactive sessions covering all key aspects of preparing USL dossiers and the form.

Within the framework of UNESCO’s global capacity-building strategy for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003), and the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005), the UNESCO Cluster Office in Accra organizes a workshop on “The Power of Culture in Development”. This workshop brings together 41 representatives from Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture, National Commission on Culture, Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana (Legon), Ghana National Commission for UNESCO, Ministry of Education, Environmental Protection Agency of the Ministry of Science and Environment and other key institutions involved in the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. The Workshop is presided by the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture of Ghana. Such as Ghana and Liberia have not ratified the two conventions, a holistic and multisectoral approach was adopted by the Accra Office in order to create an inclusive understanding and appreciation of the questions tackled by these normative instruments.

The key objectives of the meeting and other follow-up activities aimed:

A. Familiarize all participants with the UNESCO Conventions for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and the Protection and Promotion of Diversity of Cultural Expressions

B. Promote the ratification of the conventions by the Parliament and the Government of Ghana

C. Raise awareness all participants about the importance of recognizing the cultural heritage – particularly living heritage - in national policy development and implementation of development programs.

The workshop is facilitated by the Programme Specialist of UNESCO for Culture in Ghana, a traditional chief, academics, practitioners and militants of the culture in Ghana.

The Accra workshop is part of the global strategy of UNESCO capacity building , implemented with the support of the intangible cultural heritage fund and the budget of the regular program.

• List of participants: English

The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage have repeatedly emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacities of developing countries to effectively implement the Convention. In response, UNESCO has focused its programmes for the 2010-2011 biennium on a global strategy of capacity building among Member States and will continue to do the same in future years. UNESCO is developing a global network of experts who will be well trained in our curricula and methods. This meeting is one in a series of workshops devoted to ‘training of trainers’ in different regions from January to March 2011 to create this network of expert trainers.

The workshop is funded by the UNESCO/Abu Dhabi Authority for Cultural Heritage Funds-in-Trust, and hosted by ADACH. Additional support is provided by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and UNESCO’s Regular Programme.

General Documents

• Abu Dhabi workshop outline (strategy, timetable, participants): English|French
• Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: basic texts: English|French|Spanish|Russian|Chinese|Arabic

The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage have repeatedly emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacities of developing countries to effectively implement the Convention. In response, UNESCO has focused its programmes for the 2010-2011 biennium on a global strategy of capacity building among Member States and will continue to do the same in future years. UNESCO is developing a global network of experts who will be well trained in our curricula and methods. This meeting is one in a series of workshops devoted to ‘training of trainers’ in different regions from January to March 2011 to create this network of expert trainers.

The workshop is funded by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, with additional support from UNESCO’s Regular Programme.

General Documents

• Havana workshop outline (strategy, timetable, overview of materials, list of participants): English|Spanish
• Practical information - Havana workshop: English|Spanish
• Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: basic texts: English|French|Spanish|Russian|Chinese|Arabic

The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage have repeatedly emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacities of developing countries to effectively implement the Convention. In response, UNESCO has focused its programmes for the 2010-2011 biennium on a global strategy of capacity building among Member States and will continue to do the same in future years. UNESCO is developing a global network of experts who will be well trained in our curricula and methods. This meeting is one in a series of workshops devoted to ‘training of trainers’ in different regions from January to April 2011 to create this network of expert trainers.

The workshop is funded by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, with additional support from UNESCO’s Regular Programme.

General Documents

• Practical information - Sofia meeting: English
• Sofia workshop outline (strategy, timetable, overview of materials): English
• Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: basic texts: English|French|Spanish|Russian|Chinese|Arabic

The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage have repeatedly emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacities of developing countries to effectively implement the Convention. In response, UNESCO has focused its programmes for the 2010-2011 biennium on a global strategy of capacity building among Member States and will continue to do the same in future years. UNESCO is developing a global network of experts who will be well trained in our curricula and methods. This meeting is one in a series of workshops devoted to ‘training of trainers’ in different regions from January to March 2011 to create this network of expert trainers.

The workshop is generously supported by the UNESCO/Government of Bulgaria Funds-in-Trust, with additional funding from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and UNESCO’s Regular Programme.

General Documents

• List of participants: French
• Practical information - Libreville workshop: French
• Libreville workshop outline (strategy, timetable): French

The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage have repeatedly emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacities of developing countries to effectively implement the Convention. In response, UNESCO has focused its programmes for the 2010-2011 biennium on a global strategy of capacity building among Member States and will continue to do the same in future years. UNESCO is developing a global network of experts who will be well trained in our curricula and methods. This meeting is one in a series of workshops devoted to ‘training of trainers’ in different regions from January to March 2011 to create this network of expert trainers.

The meeting is co-hosted by Oral Traditions Association of Zimbabwe (OTAZ). It is funded by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and UNESCO’s Regular Programme.

General Documents

• Practical information - Harare meeting: English
• Harare workshop outline (strategy, timetable, overview of materials, participant list): English
• Welcoming remarks by Prof. Luc Rukingama, Director and Representative, UNESCO Office in Harare: English
• Keynote address by H.E. Lazarus D.K. Dokora, Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture: English
• Closing remarks by Mr Josiah J. Mhlanga, Secretary General, Zimbabwe National Commission for UNESCO: English

Keynote remarks by Cécile Duvelle, Beijing training of trainers

© UNESCO/F.Proschan

The States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage have repeatedly emphasized the importance of strengthening the capacities of developing countries to effectively implement the Convention. In response, UNESCO has focused its programmes for the 2010-2011 biennium on a global strategy of capacity building among Member States and will continue to do the same in future years. UNESCO is developing a global network of experts who will be well trained in our curricula and methods. This meeting is one in a series of workshops devoted to ‘training of trainers’ in different regions from January to March 2011 to create this network of expert trainers.

The workshop is hosted by the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China, in cooperation with the International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region, and made possible through the generous support of the Government of China. Additional funding is provided by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and UNESCO’s Regular Programme.

General Documents

• General information (from the Chinese hosts): English
• Beijing workshop outline (strategy, timetable, overview of materials, participant list): English

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. Themes covered in training workshops are the implementation of the Convention at the national level and community-based inventorying of intangible cultural heritage. There is also a workshop designed for preparation of nominations files to the Urgent Safeguarding List and the Representative List, proposals to the Register of Good Practices and International Assistance requests. Likewise, assistance is provided for the field activities to inventory intangible cultural heritage in pilot sites which will be organized by the implementing partner after the training workshop on preparation of files.

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.

To that end, the project will implement an integrated strategy, including a series of well-prepared workshops and activities, tailored to respond to the identified needs of each country. This project will cover the core concepts of the Convention and provide beneficiary countries with a thorough understanding of their obligations at the national level, and a substantial knowledge of the mechanisms of international cooperation established by the Convention.

Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage through the Strengthening of National Capacities in Asia and the Pacific - 2011-2014 Project Completion Report: English

© Nepali Ministry of Culture/S.Dangol - UNESCO 2014

Based on the assessed needs, themes to be covered include ratification of the Convention, implementation of the Convention at national level, community-based inventorying as well as preparing nominations files to the Urgent Safeguarding List and the Representative List.

Each beneficiary State will also benefit from other safeguarding interventions tailored to its specific needs, ranging from practical experience with community-based inventorying to consultation on possible policy or legal reforms, technical assistance to an intangible cultural heritage management body, or individualized training for heritage managers.