Decision of the Intergovernmental Committee: 17.COM 6.a.1

The Committee,

  1. Having examined document LHE/22/17.COM/6.a Rev.,
  2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision 12.COM 11.a.1,
  3. Expresses its appreciation to Botswana for submitting, on time, its first report on the status of the element ‘Dikopelo folk music of Bakgatla ba Kgafela in Kgatleng District’, inscribed in 2017 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
  4. Takes note of the efforts undertaken by the State Party to safeguard the element, in particular through engaging youth in the practice of the element, building capacities of practitioners, raising the visibility of the element and awareness of the general public within and beyond Kgatleng District, and addressing land ownership concerns to ensure space for the practice of the element;
  5. Further takes note of the efforts of community members, organizations and institutions to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, by carrying out a number of competitions and workshops for its practitioners and prioritizing postponed activities in the updated safeguarding plan;
  6. Encourages the State Party to pursue its efforts to build the capacities of the practitioners of the element, to broaden the scope of those benefiting from capacity building, to implement research activities and disseminate results, including through education;
  7. Invites the State Party to involve bearers and practitioners of the element, as well as teachers, in developing educational materials, and to address eventual needs of teachers for building their capacity to use the materials to be developed;
  8. Further invites the State Party to address the identified risks related to commercialization of the practice, while acknowledging the income generating role of the element for its practitioners, and to consider sustainability aspects when developing tourism;
  9. Further encourages the State Party to continue its fundraising efforts and developing synergies among various funding sources;
  10. Requests that the Secretariat inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the deadline of 15 December 2025 about the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.

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