In the framework of the project, ‘Strengthening capacities in the Comoros for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage for sustainable development’ a national workshop on reinforcing the institutional and legal framework in Comoros will take place in Moroni in September 2018.
Around 20 participants including national authorities for culture, representatives, lawyers, researchers from the University of Comoros, the CNDRS (National Center for Documentation and Scientific Research), the Comoros Collective for Heritage, national experts, civil society, and media will participate in the workshop. These activities are funded by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and organized by the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Professional Integration, Handcraft, Arts and Culture in the Comoros.

Workshop on the implementation of the 2003 Convention in Georgia

Objectives:
With a view to contribute to the international debate on safeguarding living heritage in urban contexts with links to sustainable development, the project intends to:
• identify key issues related to ICH and its safeguarding in urban contexts, including the potential contribution of intangible cultural heritage and its safeguarding to sustainable development of urban areas;
• develop a methodology for inventorying living heritage in urban contexts and update the existing/develop new materials for inventorying, including a specific guidance note, if relevant, based on the lessons learnt from the nine pilot projects;
• develop policy oriented recommendations related to ICH safeguarding in urban contexts.

Implementation strategy:
Within the framework of the overall project, and in line with approaches and conceptual tools of the 2003 Convention, nine pilot inventories of intangible cultural heritage in urban contexts will be conducted in selected cities from different regions of the world.
The inventories will target in particular practices, which are based on economic mechanisms that are key to sustainable development of communities, with a particular focus on practices where the economic base has been eroded and could be revitalized. The project will specifically focus on traditional crafts, performing arts, including festivals The pilot cities will be selected based on interest expressed by communities and in synergy with ongoing activities and strategies as part of the implementation of the 2003 Convention.
To facilitate the active participation of tradition bearers and practitioners in the design and implementation of the inventories, capacity building workshops on community based inventorying will be delivered by UNESCO trained facilitators. The workshops and their training materials will be developed based on the existing training materials, developed by UNESCO under the 2003 Conventions’ Global capacity-building programme. Accompanied by the facilitators, the communities trained will conduct pilot inventories over a period of 6 months. A wrap-up workshop will be organized at the end of this period to collect lessons learnt, discuss issues related to ICH in cities and sustainable development, and formulate proposals for improving the existing inventorying methodologies and materials and draft policy recommendations.
The project will be implemented in two phases:
Phase one: October 2018 to July 2019

• Kick off meeting: 22 and 23 October 2018, UNESCO HQs in Paris
  
• Implementation of three inventories (George Town, Malaysia; Harare, Zimbabwe and Kingston, Jamaica) : November 2018 to May 2019
  
• Wrap-up meeting of Phase one: June/July 2019
  

Phase two: July 2019 to May 2020

• Kick off meeting: June/July 2019
  
• Implementation of six inventories (TBC): August 2019 – February 2020
  
• Wrap-up meeting of Phase two: March 2020
  

Wrap-up meeting of the project: In the framework of the Global Forum on ‘Culture for sustainable cities’: September/October 2020
Implementing unit: the project will be implemented by the Living Heritage Entity, in close collaboration with Culture Specialists from the relevant Field Offices.

The National Museums of Kenya will hold a community-based inventorying workshop from 1 to 10 October 2018 at Lamu Fort, a World Heritage Site. The workshop aims to strengthen the capacities to safeguard intangible cultural heritage for twenty-five participants selected from a wide range of stakeholders, including community leaders, youth, women, and elders.
Supported by the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa in Nairobi, the workshop was conceptualized in line with the global capacity-building programme of the 2003 Convention; also based on the recommendations of the World Heritage Site community consultations on the impact of the LAPSSET development (Lamu Port, South Sudan, Ethiopia Transport Corridor); and efforts towards the preservation, dissemination and access to documentary heritage.
After the workshop, a selected number of the trained community members will be supported for fieldwork in carrying out an inventory of ICH elements in Lamu, which will also be documented digitally and made available in open license formats. The final inventory sheets and audio-visual material will be conserved in the National Museums of Kenya.

Organized by UNESCO Beijing Office, the Training Workshop on Community-Based Inventorying of Intangible Cultural Heritage and Elaborating Nomination Files under the Mechanisms of the 2003 UNESCO Convention is aimed at strengthening the capacities of its participants of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in preparing nomination files for the Convention’s Lists as well as refreshing their knowledge on ICH inventorying methodologies and techniques. Hosted by the National Authority for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, this workshop is the first of its kind in the framework of an International Assistance project jointly implemented by a Member State and a UNESCO Field Office with the financial support from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.

The training will be a continuation of the previous capacity building efforts. It will further reinforce participants’ knowledge of the requirements and criteria of nominations, and cover more specialized topics such as joint nominations with other countries, how to apply for international financial assistance, and the importance of integrating sustainable development and inclusive approaches in nominations.

With the generous support of the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe, UNESCO convenes a training of trainers for the European Chapter of facilitators’ network that will focus on policy development in the field of intangible cultural heritage, in Sofia, Bulgaria, from 17 to 21 September 2018. The main objective of the workshop is to improve UNESCO’s impact in providing policy support to authorities in Europe for the effective implementation of the 2003 Convention.

Documents

Agenda: Programme

From 2 to 6 September 2018, the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Sciences in the Arab States will be holding a 5-day training of trainers workshop in Cairo to provide technical and educational tools to teaching staff and national trainers working in the field of intangible cultural heritage so that they can themselves conduct training at national level in their universities or institutions. This training is a part of the 24-month project “Strengthening national capacities for safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Egypt for Sustainable Development” generously supported by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Cultural Authority (ADTCA) of the United Arab Emirates.

The workshop is addressed to 25 participants from various departments of the ministry of culture, as well as museums, universities and community associations. It is intended to equip participants with basic knowledge and skills to design and facilitate a community-based inventorying process tailored to their particular circumstances. Furthermore, it provides participants with the opportunity to share information about personal and country experiences in the field of intangible cultural heritage.

Training of trainers workshop for facilitators from the Asia-Pacific Region
The Intangible Cultural Heritage Section and the International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (CRIHAP) co-organized a training of trainers’ workshop for facilitators from the Asia and Pacific region, from 2 to 6 July 2018 in Hangzhou, China.
Within the context of the global capacity-building programme for the effective implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the workshop intended to develop further the capacities of facilitators from the Asia-Pacific region through knowledge and experience sharing. The focus of the workshop revolved around:
I. Sharing lessons learned from implementing the capacity-building programme in the region, and potential strategies were foreseen for strengthening and sustaining the programme and its network;
II. Strengthening knowledge and competencies required to be a facilitator in the network by providing hands-on experience in using the UNESCO capacity-building curriculum, including the most recent materials;
III. Discussing new materials and thematic issues for the capacity-building programme, notably on gender, sustainable development, intangible cultural heritage in formal and non-formal education, the overall results framework and periodic reporting.

Documents

Working documents

• Agenda: English

Presentations

• Global capacity-building programme: English
• Life of the Convention in Asia and the Pacific: English
• Objectives and Agenda: English
• Overall results framework for the 2003 Convention: English
• Safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development: English
• Sustainable Development: Operational Directives for the implementation of the 2003 Convention: English

This Pilot Inventorying Activity Bonaire July – Sept, 2018: BONAIRE’S ICH & NATURAL DISASTERS was implemented under Phase III of the Project and was made possible through the generous support of the Government of the Netherlands to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.
It was organized using the local expertise of the members of The UNESCO Workgroup Bonaire, and FUHIKUBO and FUHIKUBO Volunteers. They conducted theoretical and practical training activities for the ICH Field Activity Inventory exercise.
The aim was to, through desk research and context specific interviews by the above list of seasoned, new interviewers & trainee interviewers produce a 75 minute documentary but it turned into a three part 180+-minute documentary on the knowledge and practices related to natural disasters such as storms, hurricanes, swells, and other. The scope of this inventory includes Navigation, Environmental Resource & Disaster Management, Traditional Farming, Fishing, and Architecture.

The launch of the project ‘Strengthening capacities in the Comoros for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage for sustainable development’ is held on 25 June 2018 in Moroni, the Comoros, followed by an awareness-raising workshop on intangible cultural heritage on 25 - 29 June 2018. Approximately 30 participants including national authorities for culture, representatives from the University of Comoros, the CNDRS (National Center for Documentation and Scientific Research), the Comoros Collective, national experts, communities, civil society, and other stakeholders are welcomed to participate in the workshop. These activities are funded by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and organized by the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Professional Integration, Arts and Culture in the Comoros.

A national workshop on Djibouti’s implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is held between 18 and 21 June 2018 in Djibouti. The Ministry of Muslim Affairs, Culture and Waqf assets in Djibouti, with support from the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, convenes 40 national and local authorities, experts, NGOs, communities and media representatives. The programme includes a general introduction to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and the importance of transmitting it from generation to generation in order to ensure its safeguarding.
Following the workshop, Djibouti plans to submit a request for International Assistance to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund of the 2003 Convention, in order to begin the work of inventorying and develop a national legislation and policy for safeguarding the country’s intangible cultural heritage.

Held from 28 May to 1 June 2018, this workshop is jointly organized by Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO, with the support of UNESCO Antenna Office in Sarajevo.

The workshop will bring together members of communities and NGOs, as well as researchers and representatives from local and national authorities. It will consider and discuss all main aspects of the implementation of the 2003 Convention at national level. The workshop will elaborate the relationship and complementary function of the 2003 Convention and other UNESCO Cultural Conventions, the key concepts of the Convention and the notion of ICH itself, the role of each stakeholder in safeguarding and promoting ICH, the implication and participation of the communities concerned in inventorying and further safeguarding of their ICH, the relationship between ICH and sustainability, as well as opportunities for Bosnia and Herzegovina to use the mechanisms of international cooperation established within the framework of the 2003 Convention.

Following South Sudan’s ratification of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016, a workshop on the implementation of the Convention and community-based inventorying is held between 3 and 11 May 2018 in Juba. The main objective is to train national experts in safeguarding their intangible cultural heritage through carrying out community-based inventories. Participants in the workshop range from national authorities responsible for Culture in South Sudan to NGOs, foundations and community activists. The workshop is funded and organized by UNESCO Office in Juba in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports in South Sudan.

Tunisia’s interest in intangible cultural heritage was illustrated, among other things, in February 2007 on the occasion of the organization by the INP of the First International Meetings of ICH. In 2006, Tunisia ratified the 2003 Convention. To date, it does not count any element inscribed on the Convention lists, but an application has just been submitted on 31 March 2017 for a possible inscription of pottery. Sedjnan on the Representative List. Tunisia has been a member of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for a four-year term (2012-2016). In the framework of this Catalonia-funded capacity-building project, in addition to capacity-building workshops, Tunisia is also supported by UNESCO to develop a policy for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.

Organised within the framework of UNESCO’s commitment to strengthen the capacities of Eritrea for implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, financed by Norway, this is an eight-day training workshop for 20-25 participants on the elaboration of requests for International Assistance to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and on preparation of nomination files for inscription on the Lists under the 2003 Convention as well as the their contribution to the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) present in the State’s territory

The UNESCO capacity building workshop in Dnipro, Ukraine is a part of the UNESCO global strategy for strengthening national capacities for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage through the effective implementation of the 2003 Convention and was generously co-funded by the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe.

The workshop brought together members of communities and NGOs from various regions of the country, as well as researchers and representatives from local, regional and national authorities. The workshop paved the way for a better understanding of the 2003 Convention and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage among the governmental and community stakeholders. As a result of the workshop, the participants were equipped with information on the importance of ICH, the UNESCO 2003 Convention for Safeguarding ICH, as well as discussed a number of specific issues such as revitalisation of ICH elements as a safeguarding measure, ICH and gender roles, as well as intellectual property protection related to ICH safeguarding.

The workshop also contributed to raising awareness of members of communities about the possibilities to actively engage in decision-making on developing ICH safeguarding plans and measures and highlighted the necessity that all the stakeholders should together strive to develop quality relationships which will result in successful activities and projects.

1. Malta ratified the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage on 13th April 2017. In this context, the Directorate of Culture requested to UNESCO a consultancy service to assist on implementing the Convention at the country level. The consultant was commissioned to elaborate an assessment from January to February 2018, including a mission to Malta that was carried out from January 25th to February 5th 2018. The mission aimed at identifying, in collaboration with institutions responsible for the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Malta, the needs and keys objectives that can be addressed in the context of the implementation of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention. The activity was coordinated by the Directorate of Culture (DC) of the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government of Malta (MJCL).

Over the past few years, UNESCO has been leading the initiative to develop new strategies for integrating culture and creativity in urban contexts. Together with its partners, UNESCO supports advocacy, builds and disseminates knowledge and develops the necessary evidence base to promote culture-engaged, people-centered urban development models.

The project ‘Intangible heritage and creativity for sustainable cities’ aims to promote the role of culture in sustainable urban development, and more specifically, address the role that living heritage and creativity can play in building sustainable cities.

The Living Heritage Entity is implementing its first component titled” Community-based inventorying of intangible heritage in urban areas” with the objectives to:

• Identify and better understand the key issues related to intangible heritage safeguarding in urban contexts;
  
• develop appropriate inventory methodologies and materials for urban contexts, and
  
• formulate possible recommendations for policymakers and practitioners.

Pilot projects on inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in urban contexts will be conducted in nine selected cities from different regions of the world. They will in particular focus on identifying living heritage practices, which are based on economic mechanisms and that are key to the sustainable development of the communities, such as traditional crafts, performing arts as well as construction-related practices and traditional occupations.

Accompanied by UNESCO trained facilitators, the trained communities will conduct pilot inventories over a period of about 4-6 months to test the existing methodologies of community-based inventorying in urban contexts, and thereby develop their capacity to continue this work in the future.

The first phase pilot cities: George Town (Malaysia), Harare (Zimbabwe) and Kingston (Jamaica).

The second phase pilot cities: Ayacucho (Peru), Tbilisi (Georgia) and Irbid (Jordan)

UNESCO and the European Union in joint collaboration launched the project “Silk Roads Heritage Corridors in Afghanistan, Central Asia and Iran – International Dimension of the European Year of Cultural Heritage” in October 2018.
The main objective of the project is to strengthen the contribution of culture to sustainable development, notably through heritage-based tourism development, diversifying tourism products, safeguarding and promoting intangible cultural heritage, and delivering high-quality visitor experiences along the Silk Roads heritage corridors in the beneficiary countries. Furthermore, the project will improve the livelihoods of the communities in the region, including youth and women through capacity building and creating new income-generating opportunities.
The project will be implemented over the course of 36 months (October 2018 to September 2021) along the following main components:
• Valorization and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage
• Strengthening capacities in heritage safeguarding, protection and management for the promotion of sustainable tourism
• Support to strengthen human and institutional capacities
• Awareness-raising initiatives to further promote and facilitate partnerships and improve communication

The project is designed as the third and final stage in the efforts to strengthen sub-regional cooperation and national capacities in Southern African countries in their implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The main objective is to effectively support the continuity of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding processes in the seven countries, notably Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, through the Southern African Intangible Cultural Heritage (SAICH) platform. National structures (established through previous project phases) will be assisted in their strategic planning and implementation of safeguarding projects, through the activities of information and exchange, research and training. Substantive collaboration at the sub-regional level through the SAICH platform will also lead to sustainable outcomes of reinforced institutional environments for effective safeguarding.

Publications

• The 2003 ICH Convention in Ten African Languages: English
• SAICH News 2019: English
• Women and Intangible Cultural Heritage in southern Africa: English
• Ethics in the context of Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding: English
• SAICH News: English
• Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Southern Africa: English

In June 2016, Thailand ratified the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. To strengthen capacities for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage at the national and local level, Thailand’s Department of Cultural Promotion under the Ministry of Culture, the International Training Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage under the auspices of UNESCO (CRIHAP) and UNESCO Bangkok field office undertook two national capacity-building workshops dedicated towards the implementation of the Convention and inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in May 2018.
Two UNESCO-accredited facilitators, Dr Paritta Chalermpow Koanantakool and Dr Alexandra Denes, with the support of Dr Chavivan Prachuabmoh, led the two workshops. The training workshops targeted stakeholders at the national and community levels to strengthen their commitment to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Through combining presentations, group discussions, and fieldwork, the programme provided the participants with a comprehensive view of principles and approaches embodied in the 2003 Convention and helped towards a critical reflection on how the 2003 Convention fits within Thailand’s national policy and methodologies.

Read more from Bangkok website

CRIHAP is funding two pilot field-inventorying projects. Of the two pilot inventorying and safeguarding activity, the first one is planned for Pgakenyaw Karen rotational farming in Chiang Mai province and the second is on the inventorying of Lakhon Chatri performing art at Nang Loeng community in Bangkok, Thailand.

Project documents

• Agenda for implementation workshop : English
• Agenda for inventorying workshop : English
• Pilot inventory project description : English