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/22/17.COM 5.BUR/3 as well as International Assistance request no. 02010, under a regional multinational scope, submitted by Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama,
3. Takes note that Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama have requested International Assistance for the project entitled Capacity building for community leaders and public managers to safeguard the living heritage of Afro-descendant communities in the SICA region and Cuba:

This thirteen-month project aims to build a common conceptual and methodological basis for the safeguarding intangible cultural heritage of Afro-descendants in Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. It is the first stage (preparation and planning) of a larger initiative titled ‘Safeguarding of the Afro-descendant Intangible Cultural Heritage of the SICA region and Cuba,’ to be developed between 2022 and 2025 by the Central American Educational and Cultural Coordination of the Central American Cultural Integration System (CECC/SICA). The project has three main objectives: (a) strengthen the intangible cultural heritage management capacities of officials and community representatives from the nine participating countries; (b) identify and analyse the processes and actions targeting intangible cultural heritage of people of African-descent in the region in order to build national safeguarding proposals; and (c) spread awareness about the knowledge gained from the capacity-building process and the importance of Afro-descendant culture and history in the region. To achieve these objectives, the countries will develop three in-person workshops, a virtual working group and provide virtual support. Expected project outputs include strengthened capacities for intangible cultural heritage management, a mapping of relevant safeguarding initiatives in the region, common guidelines for the development of a multinational inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of Afro-descendants, and a virtual microsite for the dissemination of the project results.

4. Further takes note that this assistance aims to support a project implemented at the regional 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 the requesting States have requested assistance in the amount of US$99,986 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of this project;
6. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 02010, 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: This request is the result of the decision of the Heads of States and Governments to formulate actions and policies for the development and strengthening of the Afro-descendant population of the region, while ensuring the participation of the communities from the beginning. Community representatives from the Central American Black Organization (ONECA) participated in the preparation of this request, with the support of the Regional Center for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latin America (CRESPIAL). Additionally, community representatives and officers from each country will actively participate in the activities and implementation of the project. They are expected to participate in the mapping of projects and actions to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of African descent in the SICA region and Cuba, as well as in subsequent phases (development of the multinational participatory inventory of the living heritage of African descent in nine countries of Central America and the Caribbean).

Criterion A.2: The budget is well thought out and structured to support the different components of the project. The amount of assistance requested seems appropriate with regard to the objectives and scope of the project.

Criterion A.3: The request presents a set of activities that involves the establishment of project coordination bodies and the selection of participants, in-person capacity-building activities, and virtual monitoring and mapping of projects and actions for the safeguarding of ICH of African-descent. A second in-person meeting will be held to share the results, followed by virtual activities to design national projects with the goal of creating a conceptual and methodological horizon and guiding the safeguarding of living heritage of African descent in the region. The activities are presented logically and correspond to the objectives and expected results outlined in the request.

Criterion A.4: The governments and institutions concerned have fully supported the project. The present request constitutes the first stage of the Multinational Framework Project ‘Safeguarding of the Afro-descendant Intangible Cultural Heritage of the SICA region and Cuba,’ to be developed between 2022 and 2025, and has the approval of the Council of Ministers of SICA, as well as provisions for its implementation. Thus, once this project is completed, it will produce background information and tools that will promote the safeguarding of the living heritage of Afro-descendants in the region, with the involvement of communities and governments. Since the project is part of a larger initiative to be implemented until 2025, the results of this project will be used beyond its immediate projection.

Criterion A.5: The submitting States Parties will contribute 46 percent and other partners will contribute a further 19 percent of the total amount of the project budget (US$284,426). Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 35 per cent of the total amount of the project budget.

Criterion A.6: The core of the project is capacity building for the creation of strategies to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of Afro-descendant communities. It highlights and promotes the participation of the bearers and communities at two levels: (a) on the one hand, by emphasizing the place and meaning of community participation in the safeguarding processes; and (b) by building the learning process on the involvement of representatives of the Afro-descendant communities and public managers.

Criterion A.7: There is no previous regional and multinational financial assistance request to 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 proposed activities are regional in scope and involve cooperation with local and national implementing partners, including the Technical Secretariat of the Central American Educational and Cultural Coordination of the Central American Cultural Integration System (CECC/SICA) and the Central American Black Organization (ONECA), with the support of the Regional Center for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Latin America (CRESPIAL) and the UNESCO Cluster Office in San Jose.

Paragraph 10(b): The project contributes to raising awareness among governments, institutions and communities about the importance of safeguarding the living heritage of Afro-descendants. The States Parties are encouraged to implement safeguarding measures that can be presented as outputs of this project.

7. Approves the International Assistance request from Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama for the project entitled Capacity building for community leaders and public managers to safeguard the living heritage of Afro-descendant communities in the SICA region and Cuba and grants the amount of US$99,986 to the States Parties for this purpose;
8. Requests that the Secretariat reach an agreement with the requesting States Parties 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 Parties to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.