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/21/16.COM 3.BUR/3 as well as International Assistance request no. 01864 submitted by Armenia,
3. Takes note that Armenia has requested International Assistance for the project entitled ‘Community-Based Inventory, Documenting and Safeguarding Folklore of the Syunik Region of Armenia’:

To be implemented by the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, this twenty-four-month project aims to inventory, document, safeguard and promote the oral heritage of the Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia. As a response to this lack of documentation and to the dwindling practice of and interest in local folklore, the project seeks to identify, collect and record the folktales, myths, legends, traditions, sayings and ritual songs of the region in order to ensure their transmission to future generations. The main objective of the project is to raise awareness of and promote Syunik folklore among local communities and to create favourable conditions for its transmission, with a focus on the roles of youth and elder community members. Specifically, the project will include fieldwork to inventory folklore from eight communities and a series of capacity-building workshops to spread awareness about the importance of intangible cultural heritage and to promote community members’ participation in safeguarding and transmitting their intangible cultural heritage. Activities entail digitalizing the collected materials and compiling a new Syunik Intangible Cultural Heritage database. The activities will take into account the topographic and ethnographic features of the region as well as its geographical, linguistic, economic and lifestyle specificities.

4. Further takes note that this assistance aims to support a project implemented at the national 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;
5. Also takes note that Armenia has requested assistance in the amount of US$70,855 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of this project;
6. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 01864, 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 project involves eight communities located in twenty rural and urban areas from the Syunik region. Community leaders, bearers and local NGOs collaborated with the project team in the development of the request. The project outlines the central and active role of communities during its implementation. It foresees that local community representatives will help identify the members who will participate in the training workshops and inventory work planned in each of the communities. They will also participate in the planning, monitoring and follow-up of the project.

Criterion A.2: The budget is presented in a structured manner, corresponds to the planned activities and provides sufficient detail. The amount of assistance requested may therefore be considered as appropriate.

Criterion A.3: The request is structured around four main activities: (a) an awareness-raising stakeholder meeting at Goris State University; (b) capacity building workshops on the 2003 Convention; (c) community-based inventory in each of the eight communities; and (d) field exercises in the different areas. The proposed activities are clearly identified and correspond to the objectives and expected results outlined in the request. Furthermore, the timeframe is realistic to enable the effective implementation of the project.

Criterion A.4: Throughout the project, the implementing agency and its partners will establish a sustainable framework to safeguard living heritage in the Syunik region. It plans to integrate the results of the inventories into the national inventory of Armenia, thus contributing to its promotion. Furthermore, the capacity-building workshops and inventorying activities are intended to provide the communities, national authorities and other stakeholders with the methodological tools and skills needed to continue safeguarding the oral traditions beyond the project completion. Lastly, the project will help raise awareness about the importance of the role of bearers and practitioners in the transmission and sharing of knowledge, ‘transforming them from passive informants to active intangible cultural heritage promoters’.

Criterion A.5: The submitting State Party will contribute 5 per cent of the total amount of the project for which International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.

Criterion A.6: The request adequately describes how the project will contribute to building capacities at two different levels: at the institutional level, it will strengthen the capacities of the staff from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences and Goris State University, and of the students, researchers and cultural centres that will benefit from the various training workshops. At the community level, the project is expected to train 370 community members on the safeguarding of their oral intangible cultural heritage and 300 individuals will be involved in inventorying exercises and fieldwork. The project will thus contribute to building long-term capacity for the safeguarding of living heritage, both for educational staff, youth and bearers.

Criterion A.7: Armenia 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 has a regional scope and involves both local implementing partners such as Goris State University and the Syunik Armenological Center and national partners such as the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia and the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports.

Paragraph 10(b): The project should raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding oral traditions. It may have lasting results as it could also encourage similar initiatives for the safeguarding of living heritage in other regions of Armenia.

7. Approves the International Assistance request from the Armenia for the project entitled ‘Community-Based Inventory, Documenting and Safeguarding Folklore of the Syunik Region of Armenia’ and grants the amount of US$70,855 to the State Party for this purpose.
8. 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 work plan of the activities to be covered by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund are detailed and specific enough to provide sufficient justification of the expenditures;
9. Invites the State Party to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.