Draft operational directives on the means to increase the resources
of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund

Donors

1.

The Committee welcomes contributions to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund [‘the Fund’] aimed at reinforcing the capacities of the Committee to execute its functions.

2.

The Committee welcomes such contributions from the United Nations and its specialized agencies and programmes, in particular the United Nations Development Programme, and from other international organizations. The Committee also encourages States Parties to the Convention and other States to provide voluntary contributions to the Fund. The Committee further welcomes contributions to the Fund from public and private bodies and individuals.

Articles 25.3, 26.1 and 27

3.

The Committee encourages the establishment of national, public and private foundations or associations aimed at promoting the objectives of the Convention and welcomes their contributions to the Intangible Heritage Fund.

4.

The Committee calls upon States Parties to lend their support to international fundraising campaigns organized for the benefit of the Fund under the auspices of UNESCO.

Article 28

Conditions

5.

No political, economic or other conditions which are incompatible with the objectives of the Convention may be attached to contributions made to the Fund.

Article 25.6

6.

No contributions may be accepted from entities whose activities are not compatible with the aims and principles of the Convention, with existing international human rights instruments, with the requirements of sustainable development or with the requirements of mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals. The Secretariat may decide to put specific cases of contributions before the Committee.

Article 2.1

7.

Voluntary contributions to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund are governed in accordance with the Fund’s financial regulations, the Guidelines for the use of the Fund, drawn up by the General Assembly, and the Plans for the use of the resources of the Fund that are periodically prepared by the Committee. In particular, the following provisions apply to voluntary contributions to the Fund:

a.         Donors have no direct influence on the use that the Committee will   make of their contribution to the Fund;

b.         No individual narrative or financial reporting is provided to the donor;

c.          Agreements are reached by a simple exchange of letters between the Secretariat and the donor.        

Article 25.4

8.

Voluntary contributions may be made following the model letter attached to these Operational Directives in annex ***. Information on the procedures to follow for providing voluntary contributions is also available at www.unesco.org/culture/ich or by writing to fundich@unesco.org.

Benefits for donors

9.

The Secretariat shall annually inform the Committee about the voluntary contributions provided to the Fund. The Committee shall provide visibility, if so wished by the donors, to these contributions. Voluntary contributions will also be made known on the website of the Convention.

10.

Recognition to contributors shall be provided as follows:

a.         Supplementary voluntary contributions by States Parties: The Secretariat publishes an updated list of States Parties, in alphabetical order, that have made supplementary voluntary contributions to the Fund, primarily through the website of the Convention. A printed version is published every two years, on the occasion of the session of the General Assembly.

b.         Contributions by other States, United Nations and its specialized agencies and programmes, other international organizations and public bodies: The Secretariat publishes an updated list, in alphabetical order, of States other than States Parties, the United Nations and its specialized agencies and programmes, other international organizations and public bodies that have made contributions to the Fund, primarily through the website of the Convention. A printed version is published every two years, on the occasion of the session of the General Assembly.

c.         Contributions by private bodies and individuals: The Secretariat publishes an updated list, in the decreasing order of the amount of their contribution, of private bodies and individuals that have made contributions to the Fund, primarily through the website of the Convention. A printed version is published every two years, on the occasion of the session of the General Assembly. During the 24 months following the deposit of their contribution, private contributors may promote their cooperation with the Committee in all types of media, including brochures and other publications. Materials must be reviewed and approved by the Secretariat in advance and cannot explicitly advertise contributors’ products or services.

11.

States Parties are encouraged to consider the possibility of recognizing private contributions to the Fund as eligible to benefit from fiscal mechanisms that motivate such voluntary financial contributions, such as tax benefits or other forms of public policy instruments defined by national law.