A training workshop was organized from 23 September to 3 October 2015, in Cidade Velha, a world heritage site, to elaborate the inventories. The training focused on sharing with communities a rather unique approach to inventorying, based on their own knowledge. The goal: to enable the development of a national inventory and the implementation of appropriate safeguarding plans at the local level.

Three local communities, namely those of Centro Histórico, Salineiro and Calabaceira took part in this training which has supported by staff from the Institute of Cultural Heritage of Cabo Verde (IPC), as well as UNESCO experts on Intangible Heritage from Brazil and Mozambique.

18 women and 15 men participated, learnt and implemented concepts, objectives and inventory methods for safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage as per the orientations provided by the 2003 UNESCO Convention.

The workshop reflects the willingness of Cabo Verde to give new impetus to the safeguarding and enhancement of its Intangible Heritage. As the President of the Institute of Cultural Heritage, Humberto Elisio Da Cruz Lima, says: "Cabo Verde must enhance and preserve its living heritage so that future generations know about their identity”.

The value of community involvement

In partnership with the Institute of Cultural Heritage, and with the assistance of UNESCO experts, a step by step process has been put in place in Cabo Verde since June 2015.

The process started with a fact-finding mission, and was followed by an intense training workshop on the implementation of the 2003 Convention at the national level targeting technicians from national institutions and ministries. These efforts of valorization and safeguarding at community level have raised a strong mobilization from various stakeholders including the participation of representatives from other PALOP countries such as Guinea Bissau and Angola to these workshops, thus promoting South-South cooperation in For more information on the impact of activities in Cabo Verde (in Portuguese).

More countries to benefit

"Additional activities will be implemented by the end of the year," said Guiomar Alonso Cano chief of the Culture Unit at the Regional Office of UNESCO in Dakar; "the process in Cabo Verde reflects our efforts to strengthen capacities in the sub-region for safeguarding its rich intangible cultural heritage (ICH). In fact, all countries covered by our Regional Office benefit and participate in Intangible Heritage safeguarding projects”. This project in Cabo Verde is part of a broader effort of capacity building in the PALOP countries in Africa, which is made possible through a generous contribution from the Government of Norway to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.