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 2.BUR/3 as well as International Assistance request no. 02124 submitted by Angola,
3. Takes note that Angola has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Safeguarding semba by creating new levers for intergenerational transmission and income-generating opportunities:

To be implemented by the Instituto Nacional do Património Cultural (INPC), this two-year project aims to establish suitable conditions for safeguarding semba, a traditional musical genre and dance, by creating opportunities for intergenerational transmission and income generation. Rooted in working-class neighbourhoods, semba is a symbol of Angolan identity-building and anticolonial resistance. However, lately it has begun to lose influence and significance among young urban populations who view the practice as old-fashioned. This has resulted in a gradual decline in the number of composers, musicians, dancers and craftspeople of traditional instruments, as well as in the performance and transmission of semba. The objective of this project is to counter these trends through capacity-building, research, awareness-raising and communication activities aimed at reconnecting the population with listening to and practising semba. Activities include participatory inventory workshops and inventorying activities with the communities concerned; digital platforms (‘impact lab’) to collectively experiment, create and share audiovisual content, resources, tools, skills and knowledge; and workshops on the creation of dicanza (a related percussion instrument) and cultural entrepreneurship. Originating from a request from the semba community, the project will also build the capacities on the 2003 Convention of practitioners and officials from the INPC, staff at the National Museum of Anthropology and members of the National Union of Artists and Composers.

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 Angola has requested an allocation of US$86,050 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of the project;
6. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 02124, 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 project was initiated in response to the needs of the semba community, for which the State Party requested technical assistance to prepare the International Assistance request. During the mission of the expert in July 2023, who provided this assistance, community members and practitioners of semba (dancers, craftspeople, musicians, composers) met to share their safeguarding needs and gave their consent to participate in the project. Furthermore, a group of seventeen people, mostly community representatives, contributed to its elaboration. They will be fully involved in training workshops, community-based inventorying workshops and fieldwork exercises.

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 order to establish the necessary dynamics amongst the communities concerned to ensure the intergenerational transmission of the element and income-generating opportunities, required for safeguarding semba. They are described in detail and presented in a logical sequence, covering six activities: (a) a training workshop on the 2003 Convention and on community-based inventory; (b) experimentation, creation and sharing of audiovisual content on semba through the ‘impact lab’ digital platform; (c) community-based inventories and field exercises in Luanda; (d) a training programme on the manufacturing of dicanza; (e) a training workshop to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of semba practitioners; and (f) a training workshop on the elaboration of nomination files to the Lists of the 2003 Convention.

Criterion A.4: The project will contribute to the viability and visibility of the element. It should strengthen the capacity of the bearers and practitioners who will in turn raise awareness among civil society, youth and other stakeholders on the importance of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Through a wide range of activities, a broad network of practitioners, equipped with knowledge on the 2003 Convention and the necessary skills to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, will be able to transmit their knowledge of semba to the new generations with a view to safeguarding it. In addition, the cultural entrepreneurship workshop will help artists diversify their income sources and ensure their financial stability.

Criterion A.5: The requesting State Party will contribute 9 per cent (US$9,200) and other partners will contribute 6 per cent (US$6,600) of the total amount of the project budget (US$101,850). Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 85 per cent of the total amount of the project.

Criterion A.6: The project focuses on building the capacities of the communities concerned to strengthen the viability of the element and transmit it to future generations. During the various training workshops, governmental staff and community representatives will receive specific training on the 2003 Convention, community-based inventorying and safeguarding approaches. Therefore, ninety bearers and practitioners will benefit from the capacity building component. In addition, nearly fifty young people will be directly involved in the project activities: a) they will be trained on developing digital contents and materials aiming at raising awareness about the element, and b) they will be the primary beneficiaries of the training workshop to manufacture the instrument.

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 partners such as the National Museum of Anthropology, the Council of composers, the National Union of Artists and Composers and practitioner associations.

Paragraph 10(b): The community-based inventory and the communication tools developed will contribute to raising awareness among communities about the importance of safeguarding the element. In addition, the project indicates that it could have lasting results as it will encourage similar initiatives for the inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in Angola.

7. Notes with interest that the issues raised by the request concern economic dimensions of living heritage safeguarding with a focus on creativity, requiring a heritage-sensitive planning and management process in order to maximize the positive effects of economic activities on living heritage safeguarding while mitigating the potential negative impacts on its viability;
8. Approves the International Assistance request from Angola for the project entitled Safeguarding semba by creating new levers for intergenerational transmission and income-generating opportunities, and grants the amount of US$86,050 for the implementation of this project;
9. 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;
10. Invites the requesting State Party to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.