Decision of the Bureau: 14.COM 2.BUR 5.5

The Bureau,

  1. Recalling Article 23 of the Convention as well as Chapter I.4 of the Operational Directives relating to the eligibility and criteria of International Assistance requests,
  2. Having examined Document LHE/19/14.COM 2.BUR/5 as well as International Assistance request no. 01523 submitted by Mozambique,
  3. Takes note that Mozambique has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Pilot project to create a local ICH management committee and first steps towards a national strategy for decentralized ICH management:

The proposed twenty-two-month pilot project – to be implemented by the ARPAC Provincial Delegation in Manica – is directed at creating a local committee for the management of intangible cultural heritage in the community of Chinhambudzi, Manica Province. Despite positive results achieved in recent years in safeguarding living heritage in Mozambique, resources and a defined institutional structure for managing living heritage are still lacking. To fill this lack, the proposed pilot project is intended to establish a local committee for intangible cultural heritage management in Chinhambudzi. In the medium term, the evaluation of this pilot community management project is expected to contribute to the development of a national strategy for the decentralized management of intangible cultural heritage throughout Mozambique. Through participatory community forums, participants will be encouraged to take ownership of the issues related to the creation of a local management committee and invited to develop a plan for its creation, operation and activities. These forums will be followed by coordinated efforts on the ground, leading to the creation of the local management committee. To enhance the continuity of its operations and activities, members of the committee will receive targeted training in Mozambican legislation and procedures, as well as in managing safeguarding projects. Finally, an evaluation of this pilot experience will be conducted by an independent expert, including strategic orientations and guidelines to support the development of a national strategy for the decentralized management of intangible cultural heritage in Mozambique.

  1. Further takes note that this assistance is to support a project implemented at the local level, in accordance with Article 20 (c) of the Convention, and that it takes the form of the provision of a grant, pursuant to Article 21 (g) of the Convention;
  2. Also takes note that Mozambique has requested assistance in the amount of US$91,430 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of this project;
  3. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 01523 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 information provided in the request demonstrates the active role of the Chinhambudzi communities in the planning, implementation and follow-up of the project. The project was prepared as a direct request by the Chinhambudzi communities who had previously been trained in community-based inventorying and had expressed a further need to strengthen their safeguarding efforts. Through community-based forums and training workshops, the communities concerned will be actively involved in the creation of the local management committee for intangible cultural heritage. It is also envisaged that the communities will participate in the monitoring of the project through the Council of Elders as well as through their involvement in the steering committee of the project.

Criterion A.2: The budget is presented in a structured manner, reflecting the planned activities and related expenses; therefore, the amount of assistance requested may be considered as appropriate for the implementation of the project. However, more precise and detailed information would have been appreciated for certain expenditures, such as ‘bank/financial fees’.

Criterion A.3: The proposed activities, which include community-based forums, training workshops on legislation and project management, as well as the development of guidelines for the national strategy, correspond to the expected results of the project. The activities appear to be well-conceived and articulated in a logical sequence. The request also presents an evaluation framework involving the implementing organization, the Council of Elders and the communities concerned.

Criterion A.4: The community-based forums and trainings are expected to raise awareness among a large number of community members on the importance of safeguarding their own intangible cultural heritage. The establishment of a local management committee could also ensure the continuation of safeguarding activities beyond the implementation of the project. Furthermore, the project intends to place communities at the centre of the development of a national strategy for the decentralized management of intangible cultural heritage. Nevertheless, the proposed measures to continue the structure and operation of the local management committee would need to be further strengthened in order to ensure the sustainability of the project. In addition, more precise information on the concrete and practical modalities to support the development of a national strategy would have been helpful to better understand how the project could achieve its long-term objective.

Criterion A.5: The requesting State will share 25 per cent of the overall budget of the project for which International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.

Criterion A.6: The project includes a capacity-building component that will provide the local management committee members with basic knowledge and operational skills relating to legislations for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and project planning and management. The training workshops will be tailored to the needs and capacities of the members of the committee and implemented in a participatory and collaborative manner. The teaching materials will also be available to local management committee members to ensure the continuous training of future members.

Criterion A.7: The State Party has not previously received any financial assistance from UNESCO under the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund of the 2003 Convention to implement similar or related activities in the field of intangible cultural heritage.

Paragraph 10(a): The project is local in scope and its implementation involves local partners, including the Council of Elders and the District Government of Manica.

Paragraph 10(b): The request indicates that the results of the project could stimulate the creation of local management committees for other communities and contribute to the development of a national strategy for the decentralized management of intangible cultural heritage.
  1. Approves the International Assistance request from Mozambique for the project entitled Pilot project to create a local ICH management committee and first steps towards a national strategy for decentralized ICH management and grants the amount of US$91,430 to the State Party to this end;
  2. Requests that the Secretariat reach an agreement with the requesting State Party on the technical details of the assistance, paying particular attention to ensuring that the budget and the work plan of the activities to be covered by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund are detailed and specific enough to provide a sufficient justification of all the expenditures;
  3. Invites the State Party to use Form ICH-04-Report when reporting on the use of the International Assistance provided.

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