Benefitting country(ies): Myanmar

Overview:

This project aims to build up the national capacity of Myanmar, both in government institutions and in civil society, so that Myanmar will have a sustainable framework for implementing the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) on a long term basis.

To that end, the project implements an integrated capacity-building strategy, including a series of well-prepared workshops and activities, tailored to respond to the identified needs of Myanmar. This project covers the core concepts of the 2003 Convention and provides a substantial knowledge of the mechanisms of international cooperation established by the 2003 Convention. Based on the assessed needs, themes to be covered include the ratification of the 2003 Convention, its implementation at the national level and community-based inventorying of intangible cultural heritage. The capacity building workshops will be followed by two workshops: the first will explore sources of additional funding for long-term safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and introduce mechanisms by which Myanmar can access international assistance, once it will have ratified the Convention. It will furthermore discuss the rationale and requirements for the submission of nominations for inscription on the Convention’s Lists . The second and final workshop will evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the capacity building programme, and formulate a road map on how intangible cultural heritage safeguarding can be sustained in the long term.

Myanmar is also benefiting from other interventions tailored to its specific needs, ranging from practical experience with community-based inventorying to consultation on possible policy or legal reforms, and technical assistance to the intangible cultural heritage management body in Myanmar.

To assist in project implementation, two experts are being mobilized to facilitate the training workshops, provide technical guidance and policy advice, whenever required, and collaborate with the national partners as needs arise. The experts have been trained to use the training kits developed by UNESCO for use in building national capacities of beneficiary countries.

News and activities:

• 2015-09-14 – Training on the use of the mechanisms of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage
• 2015-09-14 – Myanmar concludes its capacity-building project
• 2014-11-05 – Myanmar begins to experience inventorying of its intangible cultural heritage
• 2014-10-27 – Workshop on community-based inventorying in Myanmar
• 2014-05-19 – Myanmar pursues its march towards safeguarding intangible heritage

02/09/2013 - 31/08/2015 – Documentation, promotion and dissemination of the Candombe traditional drum calls, expressions of identity of the Sur, Palermo, and Cordón neighbourhoods in the city of Montevideo05/07/2013 - 31/03/2015 – Inventorying the intangible cultural heritage of four communities in Uganda