Albania well equipped to tailor its efforts in safeguarding living heritage

30 March 2015

How can Albania effectively implement the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and benefit from its different provisions? These and many other questions have been recently addressed by a UNESCO Needs Assessment Mission supported by the Italian government, in close cooperation with the Albanian Ministry of Culture.
The report (English) explores the legislative and policy documents in the sphere of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Albania, analyzes the institutional and administrative framework for the implementation of the Convention, and assesses current inventorying procedures, educational and training programs in the country as well as awareness-raising initiatives. It outlines the major challenges encountered in implementing the Convention at the national level, identifying the main needs for effective safeguarding and proposing recommendations for improvement. These recommendations include a tentative multi-year action plan, with practical proposals for capacity building and for enhancing the safeguarding policies in the country. This report will be a key reference for advancing the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in the Republic of Albania for the years ahead.

• Albania,