Decision of the Intergovernmental Committee: 19.COM 6.a.17

The Committee,

  1. Having examined document LHE/24/19.COM/6.a,
  2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 6.COM 8.20, 12.COM 8.c.11 and 16.COM 7.a.17,
  3. Expresses its appreciation to Peru for submitting, on time, its third report on the status of the element ‘Esuwa, Harakbut sung prayers of Peru’s Wachiperi people’, inscribed in 2011 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 strengthening its transmission to younger generations through education, revitalizing the use of the Wachiperi language, including for signage in public institutions, creating interinstitutional partnerships, ensuring a participatory safeguarding process, and promoting respect for the lifestyles of indigenous communities;
  5. Encourages the State Party to pursue its efforts to revitalize the element by enhancing its intergenerational transmission in educational institutions, enhancing the use of the Wachiperi language, supporting the engagement and leadership of indigenous Wachiperi people in safeguarding their cultural heritage, enhancing gender balance in their representation, and reinforcing existing partnerships with Wachiperi communities, and invites the State Party to pursue its efforts to reach interinstitutional agreements allowing for the implementation of Houses of Memory and other community spaces for teaching and transmission;
  6. Notes with concern the dwindling number of native Wachiperi speakers and further invites the State Party to enhance the revitalization of the language, taking measures to fully integrate, mainstream and use it in all public domains to ensure its viability as a vehicle for oral traditions;
  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 and the Wachiperi language, and invites the State Party to provide detailed information on the funding needs and sources for each activity to be included in the updated safeguarding plan in its next report.

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