The Bureau,

1. Recalling Chapter V of the Convention as well as Chapter I.4 of the Operational Directives relating to the eligibility and selection criteria of International Assistance requests,
2. Having examined document LHE/26/21.COM 2.BUR/1 as well as International Assistance request no. 02375 submitted by Malaysia,
3. Takes note that Malaysia has requested International Assistance for the project entitled The Mek Mulung apprenticeship programme:

To be implemented by the National Department for Culture and Arts, this three-year project aims to safeguard the endangered practice of Mek Mulung, an element inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2023. This traditional performing art consists of acting, dialogue, singing, dancing and music elements; it involves a group of fifteen to twenty members, accompanied by musicians. To support the efforts of the local Mek Mulung group ‘Seri Mahawangsa’, the project entails the development and implementation of training modules, as well as research, documentation and awareness raising. The community-based activities will be carried out in the village of Wang Tepus and will focus on facilitating the transmission of Mek Mulung knowledge and skills to younger generations through hands-on learning. The first year of the project will involve setting up coordination structures, researching the practice, developing training modules, and selecting participating practitioners and apprentices. During the second year, apprentices will attend practical sessions on the basics of Mek Mulung acting, singing and music. The third year of the project will focus on documentation of the practice, ending with public performances and the formal recognition of successful apprentices. The project is expected to contribute to the community’s economic stability and to increase interest in Mek Mulung performances. It could also inspire the development of similar apprenticeship models to safeguard other elements of intangible cultural heritage in the country and more broadly in the region.

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 Malaysia has requested an allocation of US$99,952 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of the project;
6. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 02375 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 the community associated with Mek Mulung in the village of Wang Tepus, the cradle of this ancestral art, which has been transmitted from generation to generation within families. The main beneficiaries include bearers, traditional masters (Adiguru), practitioners, and future apprentices who will be selected from schools in the State of Kedah, from primary schools to universities. During the project implementation, six ‘Adiguru’ and four academic researchers will contribute to the preparation of the training modules and lead the apprenticeship programme. The training will focus on the transmission of artistic knowledge and skills related to various aspects of Mek Mulung. While the element was originally male-oriented (male actors used to play female roles), the element currently and increasingly involves bearers and practitioners of all genders. The project will adopt a gender-inclusive approach, ensuring that half of the apprentices who benefit from the training are women. The Wang Tepus community is at the core of the project and will play an active role throughout its implementation, from planning to monitoring and follow-up.

Criterion A.2: The budget breakdown and the proposed timetable are well structured and in line with the activities described in the request. The amount of assistance requested is deemed appropriate.

Criterion A.3: The proposed activities are coherent and well-planned in terms of the objectives and expected results of the project. The project is structured around five main components: the establishment of a training centre, capacity-building trainings, awareness-raising activities, performances and documentation.

Criterion A.4: Overall, the project intends to facilitate the implementation of several  safeguarding measures identified in the nomination file for the element. The proposed activities address key threats to the element, including the declining number of bearers and practitioners, the lack of written documentation and training materials, and reduced interest among younger generations. The project should contribute to the viability of this element and strengthen capacities in Mek Mulung through the bearers and master practitioners who will conduct trainings and transmit their knowledge and skills to members of the community, particularly apprentices. Furthermore, the activities will help revitalize the practice and highlight the importance of safeguarding this living heritage at the national level. In particular, the research and documentation activities will enable the establishment of an online repository (the Cultural Mapping Portal), compiling scripts, musical scores, academic articles and learning materials on the element. In the medium term, the project seeks to create the conditions necessary to inspire professional and artistic vocations among young people, enabling them to earn an income from the practice and thus preventing the practice from disappearing. Finally, it is expected that the project will enable the apprentices to perform autonomously and become ‘cultural ambassadors’ for local, national and international performances.

Criterion A.5: The requesting State Party will contribute 3 per cent (US$3,500) of the total amount of the project budget (US$103,452). Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 97 per cent of the total amount of the project.

Criterion A.6: The project focuses on building the capacity of the communities to strengthen the viability of the traditional knowledge and skills associated with Mek Mulung in order to transmit them to future generations. Throughout the project, traditional masters, known as Adiguru, will develop and implement an apprenticeship programme in their areas of expertise, from singing to dancing and traditional music. The objective is to facilitate a transition from a complex oral tradition to structured pedagogical training courses for apprentices. The project foresees that master practitioners will train fifty apprentices, including women and men, and pass on their skills and knowledge in a seventy-hour apprenticeship programme over the course of forty-two weeks. The apprentices will be selected from within the community; young people aged 9 and above will be able to participate with parental consent. It is expected that the project will contribute to the creation of ten Mek Mulung practitioner groups. The project will also provide incentives for master practitioners and contribute to the refurbishment of the training facility in Kedah. The aim is to reinforce the conditions necessary for the continued practice and transmit Mek Mulung as living heritage within the community and beyond. Finally, the project will strengthen capacities at the institutional level, as it will contribute to enhancing the skills of the National Department for Culture and Arts in developing safeguarding methodologies and documentation.

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, with the involvement of local authorities and organizations such as the NGO AKRAB, universities, schools and artistic groups. Its implementation involves national partners, including the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture through the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN).

Paragraph 10(b): The project’s strength lies in the establishment of an apprenticeship programme and the methodology development, which will contribute to the viability and visibility of the element. In addition, the village of Wang Tepus will be established as a reference training centre for Mek Mulung, functioning as a ‘Living Heritage Hub’ dedicated to the training and transmission of the practice. The apprenticeship programme could raise interest from the public and private sectors for further funding after the end of the project.

7. Approves the International Assistance request from Malaysia for the project entitled The Mek Mulung apprenticeship programme, and grants the amount of US$99,952 for the implementation of this project;
8. Encourages the State Party to report on the safeguarding efforts and outcomes resulting from the International Assistance project in its following periodic report on the status of the element inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
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.