The Committee,
- Having examined document ITH/16/11.COM/9.b,
- Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision 4.COM 14.05,
- Expresses its thanks to France for submitting its report on the status of the element ‘Cantu in paghjella, a secular and liturgical oral tradition of Corsica’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
- Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by France to safeguard the element, in particular the systematic recording of Cantu performances during gatherings where the chants are traditionally sung by building up a freely accessible archive, and supporting transmission activities by bearers especially for school-aged children;
- Invites the State Party to continue to confront the current low level of viability of the element, the decrease in the number of practitioners and the impoverishment of the repertoire, in particular through continuing the programme of recording the chants and endangered parts of the repertoire, strengthening transmission of the element through training workshops, and seeking increased opportunities for traditional performances of the Cantu;
- Encourages the State Party to continue to cooperate with the Cantu in paghjella Association and the Regional Directorate of Corsica in safeguarding the element and to provide adequate financial support for expanding the transmission activities currently being undertaken as well as to the bearers who provide training to adults and children;
- Requests the Secretariat to inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the deadline of 15 December 2017 about the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.