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/24/19.COM 1.BUR/4, as well as International Assistance request no. 02207 submitted by Kazakhstan,
3. Takes note that Kazakhstan has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Revision of the national intangible cultural heritage inventory and capacity-building on the implementation of the 2003 Convention for the local communities in five provinces of Kazakhstan:

To be implemented by the Kazakhstan Intangible Cultural Heritage National Committee, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Information, this twenty-two-month project aims to build the capacities of local communities and national authorities to safeguard their living heritage. The main focus of the project is to update the existing national intangible cultural heritage inventory of Kazakhstan, which has not been revised since its establishment in 2013. The aim is to revise the information regarding elements included in the current inventory and to identify additional elements of living heritage through community-based inventorying. The activities of the project include training members of the communities to undertake community-based inventorying to identify at least fifty elements of living heritage practiced in five provinces, while raising awareness about intangible cultural heritage in general. The project was designed in collaboration with stakeholders involved in safeguarding living heritage, including government institutions, local communities, research structures and associations. The project will also support the inclusion of living heritage safeguarding in national planning documents and strengthen related legal and institutional frameworks. Furthermore, it will strengthen collaboration between local communities and cultural, educational and research institutions, while laying the foundation for inventorying activities in other provinces.

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 Kazakhstan has requested an allocation of US$99,600 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of the project;
6. Decides that, from the information provided in file n 02207, 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 communities located in five provinces of Kazakhstan. In September 2023, consultations were held with community leaders who collaborated with the national authorities in the development of the request. The project outlines the central and active role of communities throughout its implementation. For example, it foresees the establishment of five provincial project teams, including community representatives, to assist the national inventory expert team. These local teams will be responsible for disseminating information from the project steering committee to local communities and facilitating the inventory fieldwork. They will also centralize documents and information collected during the inventory exercises at the provincial level for their transmission to the national team. Finally, the local teams will act as liaisons between bearers and communities and national authorities, university researchers, provincial universities, history museums, schools and cultural associations.

Criterion A.2: The budget is well structured, and the project costs are clearly explained. The amount of assistance requested is appropriate for the proposed activities.

Criterion A.3: The proposed activities are well conceived in relation to the objectives and expected results of the project. They are described in detail and presented in a logical sequence, covering: (a) the inventorying and documentation of intangible cultural heritage in the five provinces concerned; (b) capacity-building workshops for communities; (c) awareness-raising activities; and (d) the establishment of project management structures.

Criterion A.4: Throughout the project, the requesting State Party will seek to establish a sustainable framework to safeguard living heritage in Kazakhstan and to integrate the results of the pilot inventory into the national inventory. Furthermore, the capacity-building workshops and inventorying activities aim to provide communities, experts and officials from the Ministry of Culture and Information with the methodological tools and skills needed to continue safeguarding their living heritage beyond the project completion.

Criterion A.5: The requesting State Party will contribute 25 per cent (US$46,775) and other partners will contribute 23 per cent (US$43,425) of the total amount of the project budget (US$189,800). Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 52 per cent of the total amount of the project budget.

Criterion A.6: The request describes how the project will contribute to sustainably building capacities at the provincial and national levels. The implementation of the project should provide the country with approximately thirty resource persons in the five provinces with knowledge on the Convention and who will become experts in the field of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. In addition, approximately 100 individuals will benefit from the various trainings and other project activities. They will form a solid pool of experts for conducting community-based inventories in other parts of Kazakhstan and for promoting future projects and activities for safeguarding living heritage.

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

Paragraph 10(a): The project is national in scope and involves cooperation with community members and authorities from the five provinces, as well as with the Ministry of Culture and Information, the National Commission for UNESCO, national partners and NGOs working in the field of intangible cultural heritage.

Paragraph 10(b): As part of the multiplier effects, the project may lead to the development of a national framework for new safeguarding activities and for future inventorying exercises of intangible cultural heritage in other provinces of Kazakhstan.

7. Approves the International Assistance request from Kazakhstan for the project entitled Revision of the national intangible cultural heritage inventory and capacity-building on the implementation of the 2003 Convention for the local communities in five provinces of Kazakhstan and grants the amount of US$99,600 for the implementation of this project;
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 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;
9. Invites the requesting State Party to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.