Events and meetings on intangible cultural heritage (co-)organized by UNESCO

The meeting on criteria for inscription of intangible heritage elements on the Lists to be established under the 2003 Convention (Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding) was attended by experts coming from some 15 UNESCO Member States and by observers from another 30 Member States.

The report summarises the debates of the meeting and presents the selection criteria as recommended at the conclusion of the meeting, relating in particular :

• to the definition of intangible heritage given in the Convention,
• to the need of involving communities in the whole identification and safeguarding process,
• and to the importance of transmission of ICH.

• Report of the meeting (English|French)

The purpose of the meeting was to study various inventory‐making methodologies and to debate issues to be taken into account when preparing the implementation of the 2003 Convention. Indeed, the characteristics of various systems already under elaboration or in place were studied and compared during the meeting, as were the different approaches and experiences of Member States, regions and disciplines. The debates and the conclusions of the meeting will contribute substantially to the elaboration of thematic manuals on the safeguarding of the ICH. The experts took part in the meeting in their personal capacities; they did not represent – unless they explicitly stated otherwise – official positions of their countries.
The 30 participating experts were selected among researchers, representatives of custodian communities, civil servants working in local and national administrations, as well as from relevant NGOs. Most of them came from countries that had already acquired experience in preparing one or more inventories of ICH.
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) was also invited, as were observers from UNESCO Member States, in particular those that had already ratified the Convention or that had shown a special interest in UNESCO’s programmes in the field of ICH. Some 50 observers attended all or part of the meeting. There were four plenary working sessions, each of which was introduced by a keynote presentation.

Final report (English|French)

The aim of the meeting was to promote the Convention with a view not only to its ratification but also to its implementation. Experts from all over Latin America including Cuba attended the meeting.

• Agenda (English)
• List of participants (English)
• Recommendations (English)

Jointly organized with the Algerian authorities on the occasion of the official visit of the Director-General of UNESCO to Algeria, this regional meeting was be attended by representatives of some thirty Member States.
Mrs. Aliyeva, First Lady of Azerbaïdjan, and several important Algerian dignitaries, including Mr Mohammed Bedjaoui, President of the Constitutional Council, were also be present.

• Agenda (English|French)
• Declaration (French)
• Report (French)

Contact in Rabat: Mohamed Ould Khattar - in co-operation with the Ministry of Culture in Algiers.

The main aim of this meeting was not only to encourage Member States to ratify the Convention, but also to create an opportunity to exchange views and experiences in relationship to the safeguarding of ICH.The meeting was attented by policy-makers in relevant fields of respective governments.

• Agenda (English)
• List of participants (English)
• Report and recommendations (English)

The main aim of the meetings was not only to encourage Member States to ratify the Convention, but also to create an opportunity to exchange views and experiences in relationship to the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage.The meeting was participated by policy-makers in relevant fields of respective governments.

• Agenda (English)
• List of participants (English)
• Recommendations (English)

UNESCO and the Japanese Agency for Culture decided to organize jointly an international conference on this theme in Japan on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Venice Charter and of the 10th anniversary of the Nara Document on Authenticity, and to launch a world-wide debate on a possible integrated approach to the safeguarding of the tangible and intangible heritage.
In all, 45 experts were invited to discuss different topics covering current heritage management problems. They adopted a new Declaration on an Integrated Approach.

Contact : HAYASHI, Nao

• Proceedings of the International Conference (English-French)
• Yamato Declaration (English)

The main aim of the meetings was not only to encourage Member States to ratify the Convention, but also to create an opportunity to exchange views and experiences in relationship to the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage.The meeting was participated by policy-makers in relevant fields of respective governments.

• Agenda (English)
• List of participants (English)
• Recommendations (English)
• Final report (English)

Following the joint organization of two international conferences “Dialogue of Civilizations” (2001), and “Globalization with a Human Face – Benefitting All” (2003), UNU and UNESCO pursued their exploration of the links between increased global interaction and human development through the organization of a third international conference, “Globalization and Intangible Cultural Heritage – Opportunities, threats and challenges”, held in Tokyo, 26-27 August 2004.

Published report of the Conference (English) - contains all elements mentionned below
Table of content:

1. Introduction (English)
2. Summary and conclusions (English)
3. Overview - 4 papers (English)
4. Opportunities: renewed dialogues, a stimulus for creativity and understanding - 2 papers (English)
5. Threats: homogenization, erosion, conflicts - 4 papers (English)
6. Challenges: making use of opportunities countering threats - 5 papers (English)
7. Annex - including Background paper (English)

The aim of the meeting was to promote the Convention with a view not only to its ratification but also to its implementation following its entry into force three months after the thirtieth ratification. Experts from all over Latin America including Cuba were attending the meeting.

• Agenda (English|Spanish)
• Presentations
  • Bolivia (Spanish)
  • Brazil (Portuguese)
  • Chile (Spanish)
• Report (Spanish)
• List of participants (Spanish)
• Recommendations (Spanish)