Decision of the Bureau: 11.COM 2.BUR 2.2

The Bureau,

  1. Recalling Chapter V of the Convention and Chapter I of the Operational Directives,
  2. Having examined Document ITH/16/11.COM 2.BUR/2, as well as the international assistance request no. 01217,
  3. Takes note that Zambia has requested international assistance for a project entitled Inventorying of the music and dance of the Lozi and Nkoya people of Kaoma District:

The Lozi and Nkoya people located in Kaoma District, in the Western Province of Zambia, share music and dance practices as a result of their coexistence for centuries. However, the two communities have lately experienced a rift due to land disputes and district control. In the absence of sufficient efforts to inventory their shared living heritage, its viability is threatened by these conflicts, as well as impacts from technology and globalization. With the ultimate goal of bridging the gap between the two communities, the project aims to bring out similarities in music and dance of the Lozi and Nkoya people by drawing up a community-based inventory, raising awareness of the importance of intangible cultural heritage and ensuring its mutual appreciation. Implemented by the Zambia National Commission for UNESCO in close cooperation with the Department of Arts and Culture of the Ministry of Tourism and Arts, activities include: the identification and selection of key custodians and practitioners; training on community-based inventorying; fieldwork for the development of an inventory; and an exhibition that will highlight the sociocultural significance of the music and dance of the Lozi and Nkoya people.

  1. Further takes note that this assistance concerns support for a project carried out at local level with the aim of drawing up an inventory in accordance with Article 20 (b) of the Convention, and that it takes the form of the granting of a donation in line with Article 21 (g) of the Convention;
  2. Also takes note that Zambia requested an allocation of US$24,928.30 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for implementation of the project;
  3. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 01217, the request responds as follows to the criteria for granting international assistance given in paragraphs 10 and 12 of the Operational Directives:
Criterion A.1: The request demonstrates broad involvement of the communities concerned in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the project. The Lozi and Nkoya communities of Kaoma District provided their free, prior and informed consent to the request during the Kazanga Traditional Ceremony, around which they gather. The request assigns a central role to Indunas (elders) and community members both in the implementation of activities, such as the identification of practitioners and custodians who will be trained in community-based inventorying and involved in fieldwork, and in the monitoring and evaluation process through a community-based reporting system.

Criterion A.2: The proposed budget is broken down in sufficient detail to demonstrate the amount of assistance requested should be appropriate for the proposed activities except for two project outcomes, namely a database of music and dance of the Lozi and Nkoya people and an information brochure on the project – for which no budget has been provided neither from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund nor from the State Party.

Criterion A.3: The request describes a structured sequence of seven activities that seem well conceived to achieve the project objectives within the expected duration. The request does not, however, provide adequate information to understand how the exhibition as the final project activity will use and promote the outcomes of the inventorying exercises that will precede it.

Criterion A.4: The strong involvement of communities, particularly young people, in inventorying activities will enhance the transmission of knowledge about their intangible cultural heritage while ensuring that younger generations continue safeguarding efforts beyond the project. The Intangible Cultural Heritage Committees that will be formed in the context of the project will assist Indunas (elders) to ensure that the practice of inventoried elements also continues beyond the project. Other government-led initiatives, such as the organization of an annual music and dance festival, are expected to sustain the project’s impact beyond its completion.

Criterion A.5: The requesting State will share 2 per cent of the total amount of the project for which international assistance is requested.

Criterion A.6: Capacity-building of traditional community leaders and practitioners but also of government officials appears as a fundamental component of the project. The request demonstrates that the project will strengthen the capacity of communities to safeguard their intangible cultural heritage and promote its practice in different social settings and that State and district cultural officers will gain hands-on experience on inventorying intangible cultural heritage.

Criterion A.7: In April 2016, Zambia was granted international assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for implementing a project entitled ‘Inventorying of proverbs of Lala community in Luano District of Zambia’ (Decision 11.COM 1.BUR 1.4); contractual arrangements are still ongoing.

Paragraph 10(a): The project is local in scope and involves both national partners, such as the Department of Arts and Culture of the Ministry of Tourism and Arts and the University of Zambia, and provincial partners such as the Provincial Art Advisory Committee.

Paragraph 10(b): Thanks to training provided, culture officers from Kaoma District as well as neighbouring Nkeyema and Luampa districts will be in better positions to engage in safeguarding activities and mobilize technical and financial support of the Department of Arts and Culture, particularly for scaling up the project to the whole province and possibly advise other provinces.

  1. Expresses its appreciation of efforts mobilized by the State Party to revise its request;
  2. Decides to approve the international assistance request from Zambia for the Inventorying of the music and dance of the Lozi and Nkoya people of Kaoma District and to grant an amount of US$24,928.30 to the State Party to this end;
  3. Requests the Secretariat to reach an agreement with the requesting State Party on technical details of the assistance, paying particular attention to the detailed budget of activities to be covered by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, understanding that any activity for which a budget was not included in the request will need to be covered by resources mobilized by the State other than the Fund;
  4. Invites the State to ensure that any awareness-raising activity undertaken under the project, including the planned exhibition, builds on the results of other project activities, fully respects customary practices governing aspects of the intangible cultural heritage concerned and does not decontextualize or denaturalize it.
  5. Further invites the State Party to use the ICH-04-Report Form when reporting on the use of assistance provided.

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