Subregional Network Meeting on the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Pacific (Nadi, 27-28 April 2010)

Information sharing among Pacific state parties

A Subregional Network Meeting on the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Pacific was held in Nadi from 27 to 28 April 2010, co-organised by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre for Asia and the Pacific (ICHCAP) and the Institute of Fijian Language and Culture.

The Meeting provided an opportunity for Pacific state parties to the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to present updated information on their ICH safeguarding activities and the implementation of the 2003 Convention in particular ICH inventory making. UNESCO presentation focused on the historical background on the development of normative instruments by WIPO and UNESCO and their respective focus, how to safeguard traditional knowledge as part of intangible cultural heritage, and the outcome of the last ICH Intergovernmental Committee Meeting.

ICH safeguarding in the Pacific

The Meeting participants took note of the present imbalance in the inscribed ICH element among different regions, and emphasized the necessity of continuing efforts in promoting the awareness of the significance of ICH in the region, and identifying ICH elements and related safeguarding programmes for nominations for the Lists and Register established by the 2003 Convention. The Meeting also discussed the identification of ICH elements in the Pacific with a view to submitting possible multi-national nominations.

Partnership with ICHCAP

Appreciating the opportunity provided by the first ICHCAP activity in the Pacific, the Meeting discussed how to strengthen the partnership with ICHCAP in the coming years under the coordination of the UNESCO Apia Office.

• Source:UNESCO Apia
• 29-04-2010