The Committee,

1. Having examined document LHE/25/20.COM/6.c and its annexes,
2. Recalling Resolutions GA 5 and 10.GA 6 as well as Decisions 18.COM 7.c and 19.COM 6.c,
3. Further recalling Decisions 219 EX/Decision11 and 219 EX/Decision 13 of the Executive Board of UNESCO and the MONDIACULT 2022 Declaration, as well as the 2024 IOS Evaluation of UNESCO’s Periodic Reporting on the Culture Sector’s Conventions and Recommendations,

Ongoing regional cycle of reporting

4. Welcomes the efficiency of the periodic reporting system, which has significantly increased submission rates across the regions, and appreciates the commitment, including financial contributions, of all stakeholders involved in supporting the periodic reporting process;
5. Recognizes the work of the Secretariat in providing relevant support to States Parties with their periodic reporting process through capacity-building and continuous follow-up activities;
6. Takes note with interest of the ‘Analytical report of the first cycle of periodic reporting on the implementation of the Convention and on the current status of elements inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by States Parties in Africa’ as contained in document LHE/25/20.COM/INF.6.c, and welcomes the key findings highlighted in the report, the detailed information on the extent to which reporting States Parties have met the core indicators, and the targets set for the next round of reports;
7. Takes note of the preliminary results of the regional consultations on periodic reporting organized by the Secretariat in preparation of the reflection year in 2026;
8. Requests that the Secretariat proceed to organize appropriate activities in the context of the reflection year in 2026 and report, for examination by the twenty-first session of the Committee, on the results of such reflection pertaining to: (a) lessons learned from the first regional cycle of periodic reporting; (b) future improvements to strengthen periodic reporting, including the simplification of reporting forms; and (c) the relevance of including the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices in the reporting system;

Rationalization of the periodic reporting mechanisms and proposal for related amendments to the Operational Directives

9. Confirms that reports by States Parties on the implementation of the Convention, reports by States Parties on elements inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, and reports by States non-party to the Convention on elements inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, shall be submitted by the single global submission date of 30 June 2027 and every four years thereafter;
10. Recommends that the General Assembly at its eleventh session approve the amendments to the Operational Directives for the Implementation of the Convention, as annexed to this Decision, to support the move towards the single global submission system of periodic reporting;
11. Requests that the Secretariat inform, in a timely manner, all States Parties and States non-party to the Convention of the deadline of 30 June 2027 for the submission of their periodic reports on the implementation of the 2003 Convention and on the status of elements inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as well as on the status of the elements inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
12. Also requests that the Secretariat report on the rationalization of the periodic reporting mechanisms of the Convention for examination by the Committee at its twenty-first session;
13. Invites the Secretariat to plan and implement appropriate targeted capacity-building activities to support periodic reporting under the single global submission system in the context of the existing global capacity-building programme of the Convention and subject to the availability of financial resources;
14. Also invites States Parties, category 2 centres active in the field of intangible cultural heritage, and other stakeholders to financially support the implementation of the next cycle of periodic reporting under the single global submission system through the modality of their choice.