Results achieved in the field of ICH safeguarding in Southern Africa since 2009, revolve primarily around to specific extrabudgetary programmes financed by Flanders, notably:

• A series of pilot projects in community-based intangible heritage inventorying on a grassroots-level in six selected countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia and Uganda), completed in 2011; and
• Strengthening national capacities for implementing the Convention for the Safeguarding of ICH in 4 selected Southern African countries (Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe) completed in 2012.

Based on the results achieved through these projects as well as the specific ICH component of MDGF Culture and Development Programme implemented in Namibia, the Southern African ICH experts experimented with the development of the specific national ICH “trainers” expertise in a workshop held in Waterberg, Namibia from 8 to 19 April 2013 .

As an immediate follow up, the Southern African ICH experts in cooperation with the UNESCO offices in Harare and Windhoek, agreed on conducting a consultation meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe from 30 April to 2 May. The objective of this meeting is twofold:
1. Develop a sub-regional ICH strategy for Southern Africa;
2. Discuss the concept of national capacity development based on the model of the April workshop held in Namibia and seek the possibility of its replication in all Southern African States Parties to the Convention.

Documents

• List of participants: English

For detailed information on this activity, please click here.