The Committee,

1. Having examined document LHE/23/18.COM/7.a,
2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision COM 10.a.7,
3. Expresses its appreciation to the Syrian Arab Republic for submitting, on time, its first report on the status of the element ‘Shadow play’, inscribed in 2018 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
4. Takes note of the efforts undertaken by the State Party to safeguard the element, in particular by prioritizing training and supporting new practitioners, raising awareness, especially among children and youth, enhancing the gender balance and inclusivity in its practice, strengthening collaboration within the community, between non-governmental and governmental bodies and internationally, and safeguarding all aspects of the element, including puppet crafting;
5. Notes also the revival of the element despite post-war conditions and social and economic hardships, and the role that the element plays in this context in terms of supporting the resilience and wellbeing of communities;
6. Encourages the State Party to pursue its efforts to enhance the viability of the element, provide training opportunities, promote the element and support its practitioners, raise awareness among younger generations, develop a dedicated physical and digital archive and a museum, and continue collaborations between governmental and non-governmental bodies;
7. Further encourages the State Party to continue its fundraising efforts, develop synergies among various funding sources, and consider International Assistance under the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund as a possible source of funding for the development and implementation of the safeguarding measures for the element;
8. Requests that the Secretariat inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the next deadline about the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.