The Committee,
- Having examined document LHE/23/18.COM/7.a,
- Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision COM 8.a.3,
- Expresses its appreciation to Egypt for submitting, on time, its first biennial report on the status of the element ‘Handmade weaving in Upper Egypt (Sa'eed)’, inscribed in 2020 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
- Takes note of the efforts undertaken by the State Party to safeguard the element, in particular by enhancing its visibility at annual fairs and exhibitions, raising awareness about it in society, including through formal education, and transmitting the knowledge and skills required to practise the element through non-formal training for younger generations;
- Encourages the State Party to pursue its efforts to enhance the transmission of the element through formal and non-formal education, to raise its visibility and increase the number of practitioners, to favor the accessibility of quality raw materials for its practice and support collaboration among diverse stakeholders for its safeguarding;
- Further encourages the State Party to strengthen the social and cultural functions of the element and safeguard all its aspects, including the knowledge and skills of making traditional handlooms;
- Invites the State Party to strengthen the capacities of bearers and practitioners to practise and transmit the element and secure their livelihoods, and to address the social and health security concerns raised in the nomination of the element;
- Further invites the State Party to provide a timetable and an estimation of the funds required for future safeguarding activities in its next report;
- Requests that the Secretariat inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the next deadline about the required submission of its next biennial report on the status of this element.