Overall results framework for the 2003 Convention
© UNESCO / A.Vaivade

The process of developing this overall results framework started with a recommendation of UNESCO’s Internal Oversight Service (IOS), as part of its 2013 evaluation of the standard-setting work of UNESCO’s Culture Sector (English|French). In that same year, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage decided to develop such an overall results framework (Decision 8.COM 5.c.1) and in the following year, it called for an open-ended intergovernmental working group to work on it (Decision 9.COM 13.e).

As a preliminary step towards an intergovernmental working group, UNESCO organized a category VI expert meeting in Beijing, China from 7 to 9 September 2016 to initiate this effort, with generous support from the National Commission of the People’s Republic of China for UNESCO. At its eleventh session, the Committee expressed its satisfaction with the high-level results map which resulted from that expert meeting (Decision 11.COM 14).

The process continued in 2017 when an open-ended intergovernmental working group was organized from 11 to 13 June in Chengdu, China, thanks to the generous contribution of the Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China and the Centre for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Chengdu. Based on the high-level results map, the working group had lengthy discussions on each of the 26 indicators and was able to further develop the framework with the elaboration of 86 assessment factors. At its twelfth session, the Committee examined the draft overall results framework resulted from the meeting of the open-ended intergovernmental working group and recommended the General Assembly to approve it at its seventh session in 2018 (Decision 12.COM 9; see the draft framework in English|French).

Following the recommendation of the Committee, the seventh session of the General Assembly of State Parties to the Convention approved the overall results framework (Resolution 7.GA.9; see the approved framework in English|French|Spanish|Russian|Arabic|Chinese).

Information and exchange session (2018)

The information and exchange session on the overall results framework for the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage took place in Room II at UNESCO Headquarters (Fontenoy) on 20 April 2018, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The purpose of this meeting was to present, in preparation of the seventh session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the 2003 Convention, the overall results framework and its practical implications for States Parties, as requested by the Committee at its twelfth session in 2017 (Decision 12.COM 9).

Guidance notes by indicators

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