9 October 2017
On 3 October 2017, the Bureau decided to grant emergency International Assistance to Niger (US$257,819.11) and preparatory assistance to Namibia (US$10,000).
The emergency request from Niger was prepared in the context of a rise of violent extremism (Boko Haram) in the region. The project aims to contribute to dialogue and social cohesion between displaced populations and host communities by focusing particularly on the two pilot provinces affected by the crisis situation, Diffa and Tillabéry. The main activities are a community-based needs identification, capacity-building training workshops, an awareness-raising campaign and support towards facilitating dialogue among communities, together with the identification of living heritage practices. The project will be implemented by the Directorate for Cultural Heritage and the Promotion of Leisure within the Ministry of Culture.
Nambia’s preparatory assistance request is for the nomination of Aixan (gâna/ōb ǂans tsî//khasigu), ancestral musical sound knowledge and skills to the Urgent Safeguarding List. Aixan ancestral music is performed by the Nama and Damara communities, in the northern and southern regions of Namibia. The music is practised as a form of entertainment at social events, such as during the dance to welcome the rainy season and wedding ceremonies. It also serves as a means of instruction for girls during their initiation into womanhood. The Namibia National Commission for UNESCO is responsible for preparing the nomination file, in close collaboration with the Directorate of Heritage and Culture Programmes within the Ministry of Education, Art and Culture.
For more information, see:http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/en/12.com-bureau
