The Committee

1. Takes note that Albania has nominated Art of playing, singing and making the lahuta (No. 02310) for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:

The lahuta is a single-stringed wooden instrument with a sound box covered in leather and a carved neck that is made, played and sung with by which the rural communities of north and northwestern Albania. The instrument is handcrafted from wood such as maple or walnut, with strings once made of horsehair and now often nylon. It is played in family and community groups and on special occasions such as weddings and festivals. The performer usually plays while singing, telling stories that reflect important legends, historical events, or personal experiences. Although traditionally played by men, women also perform today.

2. Considers that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:

U.1:   The practice is transmitted mainly through observation and participation in family or community settings. Individual lessons and seasonal courses also help young people in urban areas engage in the tradition. National and local festivals support its visibility, and social media now plays a role in inspiring new players. The lahuta contributes to the preservation of collective memory and social values. While it once focused on local legends, the practice now also includes personal stories, allowing the tradition to evolve. This mix of old and new keeps the practice relevant.

U.2:   The tradition is currently under threat due to a decline in the number of active practitioners, most of whom are older, associated with youth disengagement and a lack of formal transmission mechanisms. Political intervention in cultural practices over a period of around forty years, as described in the nomination file, have also had a negative impact on this element, compromising its role in strengthening cultural values and collective memory.

U.3:   The safeguarding plan provides for capacity-building, the development of documentation and inventory activities, educational programmes, awareness-raising, and the creation of a sustainable organizational framework and lasting support structure, in order to ensure the community’s long-term capacity to safeguard the lahuta.

U.4:   Community participation and consent are well documented in this nomination, which involved research, workshops and consultations with practitioners, community members and the associations supporting the element.

U.5:   The element was included in the inventory of the National Institute for Registering the Cultural Heritage in 2017. The inventory is managed by the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation of Albania and was updated in 2023 and in 2024.

3. Decides to inscribe Art of playing, singing and making the lahuta on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;
4. Encourages the submitting State Party to place special focus on the educational measures to urgently safeguard the techniques of the art of playing, singing and making the lahuta and ensure the element’s transmission from one generation to the next in this way;
5. Further takes note that Albania has requested International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund in the amount of US$154,846 for the implementation of the safeguarding plan Building sustainable capacities to safeguard the art of singing, playing and making of the lahuta (No. 02311):

To be implemented by the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation of Albania, in partnership with the NGO Fondazione Arte, this thirty-six-month project aims to safeguard the endangered practice of playing, singing with, and making the lahuta, a single-stringed wooden instrument. The project entails documentation, inventorying, cultural mapping, training and awareness-raising activities. The activities will be carried out primarily in rural communities in north and northwestern Albania, in low-income areas with youth outmigration and small-scale farming. Activities will focus on establishing a participatory support structure to coordinate safeguarding efforts through a dedicated cultural centre and steering committee. The project will also involve capacity-building for the communities concerned and developing resources, workshops and policies to reinforce the transmission of the element. Other activities include: (a) developing teaching programmes for youth, with income-generating teaching opportunities for practitioners; (b) developing handbooks on playing, singing with and crafting the lahuta; and (c) creating a website and social media platforms to organize performances and raise awareness about the element. This project is expected to facilitate community engagement in living heritage safeguarding by providing them with the necessary skills and tools to communicate about and raise awareness of their intangible cultural heritage, and to contribute to safeguarding measures.

6. Further considers that, from the information included in the file, the request responds as follows to the criteria for granting International Assistance given in paragraphs 10 and 12 of the Operational Directives:

A.1:   The request was designed with the active participation of the communities concerned. Practitioners of all ages and genders contributed to the design of the proposed activities and will participate in their implementation and evaluation. Of particular note is the emphasis on gender to ensure equitable and inclusive safeguarding.

A.2:   The information provided in the budget is detailed, justified and consistent with the proposed activities.

A.3:   The activities included in the assistance request are feasible, well addressed, and aligned with the overall project structure and timeline.

A.4:   The results and impacts of the project are reasonably estimated and can ensure long-term sustainability, as institutional involvement and community participation can make them viable beyond the initial funding.

A.5:   The budget breakdown clearly distinguishes the amount requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and the contribution of the State Party. Although a small percentage of the budget will be provided by the State Party, there is a strong commitment to providing in-kind support for the project’s implementation.

A.6:   Capacity-building is at the heart of the project, which favours practical approaches whereby community members learn by doing. The project will also strengthen local institutions by sharing tools, methods and practical experience.

A.7:   The State Party benefited from International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for three completed projects: (a) ‘Inventory of Albanian folk iso-polyphony’ (US$24,500, March 2011 – March 2012); (b) preparatory assistance (Register of Good Safeguarding Practices) for the project ‘National Folk Festival of Gjirokastra (NFFoGj), 50 years of best practice in safeguarding Albanian intangible heritage’ (US$9,800, November 2018 – April 2019); (c) ‘Community based Inventory of ICH in Albania with a view to safeguarding and transmitting to future generations’ (US$213,260, February 2020 – October 2022); as well as (d) the ongoing implementation of the safeguarding plan for ‘Xhubleta, skills, craftmanship and forms of usage’ (US$91,092, December 2023 – December 2025). The work stipulated by the contracts related to these projects was and is being carried out in compliance with UNESCO's regulations.

Paragraph 10(a): The project demonstrates a strong coordination framework that ensures all stakeholders work together to safeguard the lahuta tradition. A clear distribution of responsibilities will enhance effectiveness and ensure the involvement of communities in the planned actions.

Paragraph 10(b): The project has high potential for multiplying its effects thanks to its community-based safeguarding model, which proposes capacity-building for youth, and national and regional partnerships. Its outcomes are likely to foster long-term sustainability in preserving intangible cultural heritage, while inspiring other communities and organizations.

7. Decides to approve the International Assistance request from Albania for the implementation of the safeguarding plan Building sustainable capacities to safeguard the art of singing, playing and making of the lahuta, and grants the amount of US$154,846 to the State Party to this end;
8. Requests that the Secretariat reach an agreement with the requesting State Party on the technical details of the assistance both before and over the course of the implementation of the project, paying particular attention to ensuring that the budget, timelines and work plan of the activities to be covered by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund are detailed and specific enough to provide sufficient justification of the expenditures;
9. Invites the requesting State Party to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.