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/23/18.COM 2.BUR/3 as well as International Assistance request no. 02049 submitted by Haiti,
3. Takes note that Haiti has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Supporting the community of artists and artisans of the village of Noailles to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of metal cutting in the context of the security crisis and for resilience in Haiti:

For several generations, the village of Noailles was home to communities of metal cutters, listed in the inventory of Haiti’s intangible cultural heritage. This form of expression was revived in the mid-twentieth century, using recycled drums as raw material. Cutting metal is the primary means of subsistence and source of resilience for the artisans and community members. To be implemented by the UNESCO Office in Port-au-Prince, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Communication of Haiti, this three-year project aims to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the art of metal cutting, which has been jeopardised by the security crisis in the country. The crisis has led to the displacement of most bearers from their places of life and work, the loss of skills, and the disappearance of distribution networks. The artisans and communities concerned will be represented by the Association of Artists and Craftspersons of Croix-des-Bouquets (ADAAC). Focusing on metal cutters displaced from the village of Noailles, this project seeks to provide them with the conditions and means to resume their activity, to strengthen social organization of the community, to build the capacities of the artisans, to support the development of new channels of distribution, and to promote the intangible cultural heritage of metal cutting in Haiti and abroad.

4. Further takes note that:
   1. This assistance is to support a project implemented at the local level, in accordance with Article 20 (c) of the Convention;
   2. The State Party has requested International Assistance that will take the form of services from the Secretariat to the State; and

• The assistance therefore takes the form of the provision of services from UNESCO (100 per cent of the financial transactions are to be managed by UNESCO), pursuant to Article 21 (b) and (g) of the Convention;

5. Also takes note that Haiti has requested assistance in the amount of US$280,092 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for this project, which will be implemented by the UNESCO Office in Port-au-Prince, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Communication of Haiti;
6. Understands that the UNESCO Office in Port-au-Prince will be responsible for the management of the total amount requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, while the requesting State will be responsible for co-managing the project and contributing to the elaboration of media dissemination tools to raise awareness among the public, including a ten-minute video and a series of TV and radio programmes. Other partnering organizations will also contribute to the project. The European Union will support the project with the development of the website and its management during the time of the project implementation, and the House of Culture of the World in Berlin will support some artisans in their participation in international fairs. The Haiti Association of Psychology will also cover a part of the costs of psychological treatments;
7. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 02049, 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 involvement of communities in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of the project is at the heart of the project, with the artisans being the main beneficiaries. When designing this project, the UNESCO Office in Port-au-Prince hosted four workshops in a hybrid format, bringing together representatives from the Association of Artists and Craftspeople of Croix-des-Bouquets (ADAAC), the Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Haitian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO. During these meetings, the community outlined needs and proposed the necessary measures for the revival and sustainability of the practice.

Criterion A.2: The budget is presented in a clear, comprehensive and detailed manner. The amount requested adequately covers each of the proposed activities and can therefore be deemed appropriate.

Criterion A.3: The proposed activities are well-planned and coherent in terms of the objectives and expected results of the project, enabling artisans to resume, practice and transmit the art of metal cutting in the ongoing emergency situation. The activities include capacity building for the practice and transmission of metal cutting, training to strengthen the capacity of the ADAAC, the establishment a cooperative as well as an online sales site, participation in national and international events, and an awareness campaign. Additionally, given the importance of living heritage to promote resilience of communities in times of conflict, the project will also provide psychological support to all beneficiaries.

Criterion A.4: The project aims to enable artisans to resume, practice and transmit the art of metal cutting. After the end of the project, the community will have quality materials for awareness raising, communication and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage related to metal cutting, through virtual galleries, videos, and an updated inventory. The artisans will also benefit from renewed professional networks and opportunities, including abroad through participation in international events.

Criterion A.5: The requesting State will contribute 9 per cent and other partners will contribute a further 15 per cent of the total amount of the project budget (US$368,092). Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 76 per cent of the total amount of the project budget.

Criterion A.6: Capacity-building of the communities in the village of Noailles is one of the main objectives of the project. Through tailor-made training programmes, the artisans will improve their technical skills and acquire new ones, both in terms of metal cutting skills and for the development of their activity. In general, the involvement of the community in the direct implementation of all activities will contribute to strengthening its capacity to effectively safeguard its intangible cultural heritage, including awareness-raising and promotion, but also organization, planning and evaluation.

Criterion A.7: The requesting State has benefited from International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the project entitled ‘Programme in support of the education system for the transmission of intangible cultural heritage (PASS-TPCI)’ (August 2018 – August 2021; US$98,970); the project is undergoing administrative and financial closure.

Paragraph 10(a): While the proposed activities are local in scope, the project promotes cooperation with several national organisations (i.e., la Fondation AfricAmericA and the Haiti Association of Psychology) and international organizations (i.e., European Union and the House of Culture of the World in Berlin).

Paragraph 10(b): Through this project, artisans will be able to recover their mode of expression and financial autonomy, collectively and individually. The transmission and training workshops will allow the community to regain a trained workforce, with expanded skills to meet demands, such as orders from collectors or museums, and to diversify income sources and thus sustain their livelihoods.

8. Approves the International Assistance request from Haiti for the project entitled Supporting the community of artists and artisans of the village of Noailles to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of metal cutting in the context of the security crisis and for resilience in Haiti and grants the amount of US$280,092 for the implementation of this project according to the modality described in paragraphs 5 and 6;
9. Takes further note of the positive experience of the technical assistance provided to Haiti in finalizing this request, and invites the requesting State to build on the skills of the staff who directly benefited from this assistance;
10. Requests that the project be implemented in phases to allow for a close monitoring of the ongoing security situation and the adjustment of implementation as needed;
11. Further requests that the Secretariat reach an agreement with the requesting State 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;
12. Invites the requesting State to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.