Within the framework of global capacity-building strategy for the implementation of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) at national level, the UNESCO multi-country office in Bamako, in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, organized a workshop which brought together the directors of the cultural heritage of Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea together with more than twenty representatives of Malian Institutions involved in safeguarding and management of intangible cultural heritage.
The workshop focused on familiarizing participants with the basic concepts, measures and mechanisms of the Convention, recognizing that effective implementation depends upon profound knowledge and understanding of all the people involved in the safeguarding of living heritage. The workshop, which was held from 10 to 14 October 2011 in Bamako was facilitated by Ms Claudine Angoué (Gabon) and M. Ludovic Kibora (Burkina Faso), two members of the network of 65 experts who participated in a training-of-trainers workshop series on how to use the UNESCO curricula specifically designed to build capacity on implementing the Convention. Currently the curriculum includes four themes: (a) ratification, (b) implementing the Convention at the national level, (c) community-based inventorying, (d) elaborating nominations to the Intangible Heritage Convention’s List.
The global UNESCO capacity-building strategy was put in place with the support of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and UNESCO’s regular programme budget. Some US$7 million in extra-budgetary resources have been mobilized to implement the capacity-building strategy. This generous support was granted by the Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Flanders (Belgium), Hungary, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain and the United Arab Emirates. It will continue to enjoy highest priority.