The Committee,

1. Having examined document ITH/18/13.COM/7.b,
2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision 7.COM 8.5,
3. Expresses its thanks to Kyrgyzstan for submitting its first report on the status of the element ‘Ala-kiyiz and Shyrdak, art of Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets’, inscribed in 2012 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
4. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Kyrgyzstan to safeguard the element, in particular through policy development and reassuring the increased viability of the element, which is demonstrated by its growing number of practitioners, diversified forms of knowledge transmission, the spread of its practice from rural to urban areas and broader public awareness;
5. Invites the State Party to continue its efforts to enhance traditional wool processing, and to support safeguarding processes at the level of both national and local governments, particularly by maintaining and developing community-based training activities as well as practising centers and vocational schools, and also to consider its integration into school curricula and other forms of education;
6. Encourages the State Party to consider giving priority to continuous investment in training and educational activities when allocating funding to the updated safeguarding plan, and to monitor, together with community organizations, the possible negative effects linked with the over-commercialization and development of cultural industries related to the element, ensuring that the practitioners are the primary beneficiaries of the safeguarding measures;
7. Requests that the Secretariat inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the deadline of 15 December 2020 about the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.