Djibouti - intangible heritage - Culture Sector

Periodic reporting on the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Convention provides in Article 29 that States Parties shall submit to the Committee reports on the legislative, regulatory and other measures taken for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in their territories. Current page presents the periodic reports and deadlines of a country: Djibouti (see overview on all States Parties).

Periodic reporting on the implementation of the Convention allows States Parties to assess their implementation of the Convention, evaluate their capacities for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, report on their inventories of intangible cultural heritage and update the status of elements inscribed on the Representative List.

On the implementation of the Convention

Each State Party submits its periodic report to the Committee by 15 December of the sixth year following the year in which it deposited its instrument of ratification.

2013

Report submitted on 15/12/2017 and examined by the Committee in 2018 (originally due by 15/12/2013)

Report: French

Overview

The Republic of Djibouti ratified the 2003 Convention in August 2007. The main public institution responsible for safeguarding cultural property heritage is the Ministry of Muslim Affairs, Culture and Waqf Property (ministère des Affaires Musulmanes, de la Culture et des biens Waqfs - MAMCBW), created in 2013.
At this level it is important to stress that the Department of Culture has been the official structure responsible for safeguarding the ICH since 2006. The department’s tasks include the identification, inventory-taking, safeguarding, enhancing, transmission and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage through the Cultural Heritage Office.
The ministry has spared no efforts in implementing the 2003 Convention since it was ratified. Its teams have benefited from capacity-building seminars, particularly in Tanzania in 2007 and in 2012 at the seminar for ICH capacity-building for directors of culture in East African countries, held in Nairobi.
It is worth highlighting the creation of a Department of Culture and the establishment of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage office, demonstrating that a specific administrative structure has begun to be established that can work for the safeguarding of the ICH at the national level. The former Director of Culture, who is trained in the subject and is the current Technical Advisor in charge of Culture, is also available.

Furthermore, the Department of Culture of the MAMCBW has issued a five-year plan proposal for the period 2013-2017, which includes among its strategic objectives the preservation of “cultural diversity, in order to foster inculturation and consolidate social cohesion and the protection and promotion of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage”.

Moreover, respect for the cultural diversity of the country’s populations is a national priority.
It should be emphasized that ICH safeguarding actions have been carried out, in the form of university and scientific research, publications on local cultures and activities to promote traditional expression and performing arts at festivals and exhibitions.
Civil society organizations have played an active part in numerous events, demonstrating their dynamism and involvement in the work of implementing the Convention.
They have also conceived or initiated ICH projects and programmes and attracted a growing number of the general public and young people interested in the many social domains and practices.
Civil society has thus provided a supporting and guiding role for communities, helping to raise their awareness and that of other stakeholders. All of these activities and programmes have benefited from media coverage that has been amplified by the social networks.