Overview:

UNESCO in the framework of the 2003 Convention has explored the role of living heritage in emergencies, including conflict and disaster situations. In 2020, the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention adopted operational principles and modalities for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in emergencies, which offers guidance to national and international stakeholders on how best to engage and safeguard living heritage in various types of emergency contexts (Resolution 8.GA 9). The operational principles and modalities emphasize the dual nature of living heritage in emergencies, both as being directly under threat and as a valuable resource that communities can draw on to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. In this context, UNESCO is undertaking this project to strengthen the capacities of communities to safeguard and mobilize their intangible cultural heritage in situations of conflict and forced displacement. It will involve the elaboration and testing of training materials to undertake community-based needs identification, conducting a community-based needs assessment and finally developing a handbook for actors in the humanitarian field to unpack specific considerations for operationalizing the principles and modalities in situations of conflict and forced displacement.

News and activities:

• 2023-10-23 – Safeguarding living heritage for resilience and recovery at Minawao Refugee Camp in Cameroon
• 2023-10-09 – Training workshop for safeguarding living heritage in situations of conflict and forced displacement at Minawao Refugee Camp, Cameroon

01/12/2023 - 30/06/2025 – Elaboration of an inventory of national intangible cultural heritage01/07/2022 - 01/06/2025 – Strengthening national capacities for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and contributing to sustainable development in Kenya