Building capacities for safeguarding living heritage and preparing nominations to the Lists of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Africa

Benefitting country(ies): Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Sao Tome and Principe, South Sudan

Overview:

The project aims to safeguard and promote the rich diversity of intangible cultural heritage in Africa with a focus on nine countries that do not yet have any living heritage element inscribed on the Lists and Register of the 2003 Convention (at the end of the nineteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee in December 2024) – these are Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, ›››

News and activities:

• 2025-10-30 – Nine African countries engage in capacity building to safeguard living heritage and prepare nominations to the 2003 Convention’s Lists
• 2025-03-17 – Building capacities for safeguarding living heritage and preparing nominations to the Lists of the 2003 Convention in Africa

Strengthening capacities for periodic reporting under the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Africa

Benefitting country(ies): Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Overview:

Africa is the fourth region to be undertaking periodic reporting under the revised regional cycle approved by the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention [Decision 14.COM 8]. The present project aims to strengthen the human and institutional capacities of States Parties in the region, in conducting a thorough review of the state of safeguarding policies, programmes, and initiatives in ›››

News and activities:

• 2024-04-22 – Milestone achieved as Africa participates in its first regional cycle of periodic reporting

Safeguarding and promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage in Central Africa

Benefitting country(ies): Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon

A systemic approach to advancing SDGs by supporting citizenship and social protection for hard-to-reach populations in Gabon

Benefitting country(ies): Gabon

Overview:

Within the framework of an agreement between Gabon and the United Nations on the access to citizenship and social protection in Gabon, a joint programme involving six United Nations funds and agencies (UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO, UNESCO, UNAIDS, ILO) is being implemented to achieve several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to social protection. A small but significant number of people from ›››

Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Central Africa

Benefitting country(ies): Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Gabon

News and activities:

• 2019-10-29 – Capacity-building workshop to raise awareness on the 2003 Convention and the elaboration of inventories
• 2018-07-01 – Training on the 2003 Convention and ICH inventory with the participation of communities

Inventory and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage of the Pygmy populations of Gabon

Benefitting country(ies): Gabon

Overview:

Having benefited from capacity building activities, Gabon has recognized the need for a safeguarding action towards the intangible cultural heritage of Pygmy populations, for which surveys conducted with these populations highlighted the endangered elements constituent to their identity. The project led to the development of an inventory of the intangible cultural heritage of the Pygmy populations Babongo, Baka and Bakoya ›››

News and activities:

• 2019-09-19 – Gabon, Kenya and the Seychelles strengthen safeguarding efforts through International Assistance projects
• 2015-08-24 – Peacebuilding, natural disasters mitigation and indigenous communities supported by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund