Decision of the Bureau: 8.COM 3.BUR 6.1

The Bureau,

  1. Recalling Article 23 of the Convention as well as chapter I.1 of the Operational Directives related to the inscription of intangible cultural heritage elements on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and I.4 related to eligibility and selection criteria of international assistance requests,
  2. Having examined Document ITH/13/8.COM 3.BUR/6 as well as the request for preparatory assistance submitted by Kenya,
  3. Takes note that Kenya has requested assistance in the amount of US$17,668 to elaborate a nomination to the Urgent Safeguarding List of Rituals and practices associated with Kit Mikayi shrine of the Luo community in Kenya. Kit Mikayi is a shrine site composed of a cluster of rocks some 40 metres high, situated 30 km east of Kisumu city in western Kenya. Rituals and practices enacted in association with this sacred place provide a sense of belonging, spirituality and continuity to the Luo community. The Department of Culture, Ministry of Sports, Culture and the Arts will be responsible for elaborating the nomination file with the collaboration of researchers who are familiar with intangible cultural heritage of the Luo community;
  4. Decides that, from the information provided in file 00632, the request responds as follows to the criteria for granting International Assistance given in Paragraphs 10 and 12 of the Operational Directives:
The State Party is particularly determined to ensure the broadest participation of the community from the preparation of the request to different stages of the elaboration of the nomination (criterion A.1). Having undertaken an assessment of the viability of the element in cooperation with the communities and other stakeholders, the State Party will organize a workshop to enhance the understanding of stakeholders about the objectives and mechanism of the 2003 Convention and about their place in the elaboration of the nomination (criterion A.6). The community will also be asked to identify factors threatening the viability and transmission of the practice through a consultative workshop and to contribute to the elaboration of safeguarding measures. At a forum, the community will be asked to examine and endorse the nomination file before its submission;

The requested funds will pay for a researcher and documentarian’s travel expenses, organization of consultation meetings and workshops, video and photo production and editing, and support for the enactment of certain ceremonies and rituals. Contributing 29% of the overall budget of the project (criterion A.5) the State Party has requested a reasonable amount (criterion A.2) that will be equitably distributed among the persons responsible for the elaboration of the nomination file and the community members. The proposed timetable reflects activities for the elaboration of the nomination that are well planned and feasible (criterion A.5). Furthermore, Kenya is not in default of any previous contract with UNESCO (criterion A.7);

  1. Welcomes the role in the elaboration of the nomination file foreseen for the facilitator trained by UNESCO within the framework of its global capacity-building strategy;
  2. Approves, as authorized body, preparatory assistance request 00632 for an amount of US$17,668;
  3. Requests the Secretariat to reach agreement with the requesting party on the technical details of the preparatory assistance, including a revised timetable.

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