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

Strengthening the capacities of States Parties for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Western Africa (Sahel)

Benefitting country(ies): Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal

Strengthening national capacities for effective intangible cultural heritage safeguarding in selected PALOP countries

Benefitting country(ies): Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe

Overview:

The project aims to built national capacity in these Portuguese speaking countries to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage. The project pays particular attention at building a critical level of experience and knowledge, both in government institutions, civil society and in selected communities. Another aim of the project is to prepare a regional cooperation mechanism amongst Lusophone countries in Africa in ›››

News and activities:

• 2016-05-09 – Regional final workshop of the capacity building project in Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP)
• 2016-05-09 – Portuguese-speaking African countries assess project achievements