Programme of cultivating ludodiversity: safeguarding traditional games in Flanders
Selected in 2011 on the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices
Ludodiversity refers to the wide diversity in games, sports, physical exercises, dances and acrobatics. The non-governmental organization Sportimonium, together with local communities and associations, has taken measures to safeguard the heritage of games and sports in Flanders, Belgium, including twenty-three types of traditional games, among them forms of shooting games, bowl games, throwing games and ball games. Safeguarding measures undertaken by Sportimonium include support to specialized and umbrella organizations, publications, festivals, demonstrations, exchanges of expertise, promotion activities, loan services providing people with traditional games equipment, and a Traditional Games Park. The basis for the programme is systematic documentation and research: information on traditional games and sports has been gathered worldwide and can be consulted in a documentation centre in the Sportimonium. Another key safeguarding strategy is promoting awareness among players about the cultural significance of their intangible cultural heritage. Special attention is devoted to attracting new members, especially young people and women. The model of Sportimonium can be applied elsewhere. One advantage of the programme is its modular design, divided into different phases that can be implemented according to local, regional, national and international contexts.
