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 Intangible Cultural Heritage in basic education in Namibia and Zimbabwe

Benefitting country(ies): Namibia, Zimbabwe

Overview:

This project will contribute to building coordination mechanisms between the Ministries of Education and Culture in Namibia and Zimbabwe to ensure that a robust methodology for heritage-based education is anchored in national policies and available to enrich teacher training courses and curriculum development for the future. The innovative and transformative methodology of learning with living heritage will be embedded in ›››

News and activities:

• 2024-03-19 – Namibia and Zimbabwe move onward to bridge living heritage and education
• 2023-03-10 – Namibia and Zimbabwe launch project on living heritage in education

Awareness raising on the importance of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage among traditional leadership and local communities in Zimbabwe

Benefitting country(ies): Zimbabwe

Overview:

To be implemented by the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, this two-year project aims to raise awareness of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding among traditional leaders and local communities in Zimbabwe. The project involves translating a summary of the 2003 Convention into local languages and establishing an information centre that will manage online platforms and share content, information and experiences ›››

Inventorying oral traditions, expressions, local knowledge and practices of the Korekore of Hurungwe district in Zimbabwe

Benefitting country(ies): Zimbabwe

Overview:

The project implemented by Chinhoyi University of Technology, aimed at producing a comprehensive inventory of the oral traditions, expressions, local knowledge and practices of the communities of the Hurungwe district in north-western Zimbabwe. Despite the abundance of living heritage in the region, a shortage of resources and skills necessary for the implementation of the 2003 Convention has been noted, and traditional ›››

Enhancing the capacity of communities to safeguard traditional dance expressions as performing arts heritage in western Zimbabwe

Benefitting country(ies): Zimbabwe

Overview:

The project aims to safeguard the traditional dance practices of six districts of western Zimbabwe and to raise awareness of the 2003 Convention among traditional leaders and members of the community. It arose out of an increasing awareness in Zimbabwe of the value of intangible cultural heritage and its contribution to a sense of cultural identity and social cohesion. Implemented by ›››

Community-based inventorying of intangible heritage in urban areas

Benefitting country(ies): Georgia, Jamaica, Jordan, Malaysia, Peru, Zimbabwe

Overview:

Over the past few years, UNESCO has been leading the initiative to develop new strategies for integrating culture and creativity in urban contexts. Together with its partners, UNESCO supports advocacy, builds and disseminates knowledge and develops the necessary evidence base to promote culture-engaged, people-centered urban development models. The project ‘Intangible heritage and creativity for sustainable cities’ aims to promote the rol ›››

News and activities:

• 2021-10-28 – Irbid (Jordan) is the next pilot city for a project on safeguarding intangible heritage in urban areas
• 2021-06-18 – Wrap-up workshop for the project' Community-based inventorying of ICH in Tbilisi, Georgia'

Strengthening sub-regional cooperation and national capacities in seven Southern African countries for implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (Phase III)

Benefitting country(ies): Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Overview:

The project is designed as the third and final stage in the efforts to strengthen sub-regional cooperation and national capacities in Southern African countries in their implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The main objective is to effectively support the continuity of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding processes in the seven countries, notably Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi ›››

Strengthening sub-regional cooperation and national capacities in seven Southern African countries for implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Part II

Benefitting country(ies): Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Overview:

The project aims at reinforcing the sub-regional cooperation platform, which was created to support seven countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe) in southern Africa in their efforts to safeguard the living heritage present in their territories. Consolidating the results of previous Flanders funded projects since 2009, this platform will be driven by the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Committees ›››

News and activities:

• 2016-09-19 – Training of Trainers on Strengthening National Capacities for Implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
• 2016-07-25 – Workshop on inventorying, international assistance and nominations in Swaziland

Strengthening sub-regional cooperation and national capacities in seven Southern African countries for implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Benefitting country(ies): Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Overview:

The beneficiaries of the project are the national authorities responsible for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and selected communities in Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Firstly, the project aims to initiate a sub-regional cooperation platform to support these countries in their efforts to safeguard the living heritage present in their territories. Such objective will be done ›››

News and activities:

• 2015-02-23 – Southern Africa: Enhanced national capacities and sub-regional cooperation for safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage
• 2014-03-18 – Strengthening sub-regional Cooperation and National Capacities in Seven Southern African Countries for implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Strengthening national capacities for effective safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe

Benefitting country(ies): Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe

News and activities:

• 2012-09-03 – Capacity building review meeting in Harare on elaborating policy and legal framework for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage
• 2012-06-11 – Capacity building workshop on preparing nominations to the lists of the 2003 Convention

Safeguarding cultural heritage aspects of Njelele

Benefitting country(ies): Zimbabwe

Overview:

Implemented by the National Archives of Zimbabwe (NAZ) in partnership with the National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NNMZ) and Lupane State University (LSU), the project led to the development of an intangible cultural heritage documentation facility at NAZ and collection of data and documentation on Njelele and its related intangible cultural heritage aspects. In the initial stage of the ›››

Safeguarding the Mbende Jerusarema Dance

Benefitting country(ies): Zimbabwe

Overview:

A popular dance style practised by the Zezuru Shona people living in eastern Zimbabwe, the Mbende Jerusarema is characterized by acrobatic and sensual movements by women and men, driven by a polyrhythmic drummer accompanied by men playing woodblock clappers and by women handclapping, yodelling and blowing whistles. The safeguarding project aims at strengthening the transmission process by, * organizing workshops for ›››