The Committee,

1. Having examined document LHE/22/17.COM/6.a Rev.,
2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 8.COM 7.a.5, 10.COM 6.b.2 and 13.COM 7.b.5,
3. Expresses its appreciation to Guatemala for submitting, on time, its third report on the status of the element ‘Nan Pa’ch ceremony’, inscribed in 2013 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 through the support provided by the local municipality to the bearers of the element, raising awareness among children and youth about the element and encouraging their participation in its practice;
5. Further takes note of the efforts of community members, organizations and institutions during to the COVID-19 pandemic situation;
6. Reiterates to the State Party the need to pursue efforts to safeguard the element and to provide the needed accompaniment and support to local authorities, communities and groups, notably through sustainable funding for their safeguarding activities;
7. Invites the State Party to address the lack of mastery of Maya-Mam language as a threat for transmitting the knowledge and practice of the element, and to enhance cooperation with the Ministry of Education in view of strengthening language learning and intercultural bilingual education;
8. Recalls the importance of an active and wide participation of the communities and groups concerned in implementing the safeguarding activities and preparing the report, and requests the State Party to ensure their full participation in reporting, and to provide, in its next report on the status of this element, information on budget expenditures and the timetable of implemented safeguarding activities;
9. Further recalls that the updating of the safeguarding plan is critical for the viability of elements in need of urgent safeguarding and regrets that no information was provided in this regard;
10. Further requests the State Party to provide, in its next report on the status of this element, detailed information on the updating of the safeguarding plan, including information on budget estimates and timetable for the implementation of future activities, while also ensuring the active participation of the communities and groups concerned in the update of the plan;
11. Encourages the State Party to continue its fundraising efforts and developing synergies among various funding sources, and to consider the International Assistance by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund as a possible source of funding for the development and implementation of the safeguarding plan for the element;
12. Also requests that the Secretariat inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the deadline of 15 December 2025 about the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.