At the second session of the Group of experts, which took place from 24 February to 1 March 2003, a consensus emerged on three essential points:

1. the purposes;
2. the definitions of the terms “intangible cultural heritage” and “safeguarding”;
3. the establishing of national inventories in order to ensure that this heritage can be identified.

The principle of a “list” or “register” of “intangible cultural heritage in danger” was also accepted. A Drafting Committee was set up by the plenary meeting, and contributed to progress on these points. Also at this second session, the plenary meeting adopted, on the motion of its Chairperson and in accordance with Article 4 of its Rules of Procedure, the principle of an intersessional mechanism in the form of an informal working group of 18 government experts, three experts (from three different Member States) from each electoral group.

• Address by Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO (English)
• Secretariat report (CLT-2003/CONF.205/6) (English)

Working documents

• Circular letter of the Director-General CL/3651 and report on the first session (September 2002)
  CLT-2002/CONF.203/5: English
• Provisional List of Participants
  CLT-2003/CONF.205/4: English-French
• Agenda
  CLT-2002/CONF.203/1.Rev: English-French
• Rules of Procedure
  CLT-2002/CONF.203/2.Rev: English|French
• Compilation of amendments from Member States concerning the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
  CLT-2002/CONF.203/3 Rev: English|French
• Director-General’s preliminary report on the situation calling for standard-setting and on the possible scope of such standard-setting
  CLT-2002/CONF.203/4: English
• Compilation of general comments from Member States concerning the preliminary draft Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage
  CLT-2003/CONF.205/5: English|French

Information documents

• Historical background to the preparation of the preliminary draft convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage
  CLT-2003/CONF.205/INF.6: English|French
• Impacts and best practices for safeguarding action - First “Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”
  CLT-2003/CONF.205/INF.7: English|French
• List of States having submitted comments and amendments to the Secretariat: synthesis of responses as of 22 January 2003: English-French
• List of working documents
  CLT-2003/CONF.205/INF.4: English-French
• Note of the Secretariat on the Agenda
  CLT-2003/CONF.205/INF.3: English|French
• Note of the Secretariat on the working documents
  CLT-2003/CONF.205/INF.2: English-French
• Note on the Recommendation of the first session of the intergovernmental meeting of experts – Multilateral international instruments in force directly relevant to the intangible cultural heritage
  CLT-2003/CONF.205/INF.5: English-French
• Positions of Member States concerning the principle of list(s) of intangible cultural heritage, 7 October 2002: French
• Practical information note
  CLT-2002/CONF.203/INF.1 rev: English-French