Following the signing of the Plan of Operations between UNESCO and the National Institute of Cultural Heritage of Ecuador (INPC) a few months ago, representatives of bearer communities, municipalities, as well as governmental and non-governmental experts, have fully mobilised to launch another significant step in the safeguarding of their living heritage.
Aiming to develop an inventory of intangible heritage in the Ecuadorian province of Manabi, representatives came together for a workshop on community-based inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in the city of Portoviejo from 24 to 29 June 2015. The first of a series of action undertaken as part of a capacity-building project to reinforce the safeguarding of living heritage in Ecuador, the workshop focused on the identification and definition of intangible cultural heritage, data collection, free, prior and informed consent, and data organization. It was followed by a practical inventorying exercise in Machalilla, during the Saint Peter and Saint Paul festivity and the Meeting of Presidents from the Castilla and Guinea Governments.
Organized by the UNESCO Office in Quito and INPC, the workshop was made possible thanks to the generous contribution of the Government of Japan.