The Committee,

1. Having examined documents LHE/21/16.COM/8, LHE/21/16.COM/8.a Add., LHE/21/16.COM/8.b Rev.2+Add.3, LHE/21/16.COM/8.c Rev. and LHE/21/16.COM/8.d, as well as the files submitted by the respective States Parties,
2. Recalling Chapter I of the Operational Directives,
3. Appreciates the measures taken by the Evaluation Body and the Secretariat to adapt their working methodology to the continued challenges arising from holding the Evaluation Body meetings online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to continue to ensure high-quality work;
4. Expresses its satisfaction with the Evaluation Body’s efforts to treat a higher number of files for the 2021 cycle and considers that increasing the number of files to be evaluated using the current method, beyond the number of sixty, needs further reflection, taking into account the ongoing reflection by the Open-ended intergovernmental working group on the listing mechanisms;
5. Notes the observations and recommendations made by the Evaluation Body concerning the 2021 cycle, recognizes that many of the issues raised in the previous decisions continue to prevail in the 2021 cycle, as summarized in paragraphs 76 and 77 of document LHE/21/16.COM/8;
6. Further takes note that the dialogue process was applied to fifteen files in its second full cycle and encourages future submitting States to make effective use of this option to clarify the specific questions raised by the Evaluation Body and provide their answers by the deadline and within the word limit indicated;
7. Commends the Secretariat and the Evaluation Body for the progress made through the dialogue process initiated to enhance the quality of nomination files, and encourages the Secretariat to support capacity-building programmes, and the Open-ended intergovernmental working group to reflect on the possibility to develop specific upstream processes and preliminary assessment procedures;
8. Also takes note that for the first time through the ‘combined mechanism’ the decision was made to grant the International Assistance request while referring the nomination to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding back to the submitting State and affirms that such a decision is coherent with the purpose of the listing mechanisms;
9. Congratulates those submitting States that presented nominations that could serve as good examples for future nominations and notes with satisfaction that a number of these files concerned the safeguarding of minority, marginalized or indigenous peoples’ living heritage, and demonstrated the links between living heritage and sustainable development in several important areas, such as education, the environment and gender;
10. Welcomes the increased number of proposals to the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, reflecting greater diversity and geographic representativeness;
11. Recommends that relevant issues, concerns and recommendations raised by the Evaluation Body in the 2021 cycle be taken into consideration, as appropriate, in the ongoing global reflection on the listing mechanisms of the Convention;
12. Encourage further dialogue with regards to finding dynamic solutions to the backlog of nominations with a view to improve regional representation.