Benefitting country(ies): Lesotho

Overview:

With the main objective to contribute to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in Lesotho and sensitize relevant stakeholders thereon, the project intends to conduct inventory training and exercises in nine selected villages of Thaba-Bosiu, in the country’s capital district. Inspired by similar experiences conducted in other districts with the support of UNESCO and the World Bank, the community elders of Thaba-Bosiu sought the help of the Department of Culture of the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture to identify and document intangible cultural heritage elements which need urgent safeguarding. The proposed request is, therefore, the result of joint work between community councils and the Department of Culture. Implemented by the Lesotho National Commission for UNESCO in cooperation with the Department of Culture, planned activities include i) a stakeholders meeting to raise awareness among relevant governmental ministries and departments, civil society, cultural associations and communities about effective measures and mechanisms for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage; ii) a capacity-building workshop on community-based inventorying for youth, practitioners and officials from the Department of Culture; iii) an inventorying exercise of intangible cultural heritage elements across the nine villages; and iv) the production of a document compiling the results of the inventory exercises in Thaba-Bosiu, which will be added to the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Lesotho.

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