Periodic reporting is one of the key safeguarding mechanisms under the 2003 Convention, requiring States Parties to regularly prepare reports about measures taken for the implementation of this Convention. The mechanism itself has been reformed between 2017 and 2018 to enhance its quality, usefulness and timelines as well as to address the low submission rate experienced in its initial phase. In particular, the mechanism has been aligned with the overall results framework of the Convention in order to ensure the process was clearly in line with the overarching goals of implementing the Convention. A six-year regional reporting cycle was also established, including a year of reflection at the end.
For the first regional cycle of reporting, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage examined or will examine reports submitted by States Parties in Latin America and the Caribbean (2021), Europe (2022), Arab States (2023), Africa (2024) and Asia and the Pacific (2025). The overwhelmingly high submission rates across all regions were the results of the dedicated capacity building approach provided in support of reporting States. It involved a combination of online or presential meetings and trainings targeting country focal points, as well as follow-up by facilitators throughout the process until the submission deadline, complemented by a help desk support. In addition, Category 2 Centres under the auspices of UNESCO active in the field of intangible cultural heritage played a key role in all activities as they facilitated or hosted the training in all regions.
As part of the preparation for the reflection year, a series of regional consultation meetings are planned in April and May 2025 in order to assess the outcomes, identify lessons learnt and address shortcomings of the periodic mechanisms in general and its capacity-building approach in particular. The meeting is intended to provide an opportunity for stakeholders who participated in the first regional cycle of reporting to share their experience and suggest possible adjustments that could further improve the periodic reporting mechanism of the Convention.
In parallel, the Committee has endorsed that the periodic reporting mechanism move towards a single global submission system, common to the UNESCO Culture Conventions and Recommendations, including in developing the quadrennial Global Report on Cultural Policies as called for in the MONDIACULT 2022 Declaration (decision 18.COM 7.c and decision 19.COM 6.c). The regional consultations in question are also meant to contribute in the preparation of these adjustments.
Calendar of the meetings:
- Latin America and the Caribbean: 22 April 2025 (3.00 – 6.00 p.m. Paris time)
- Europe: 30 April 2025 (10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. Paris time)
- Arab States: 13 May 2025 (10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. Paris time)
- Africa: 20 May 2025 (10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. Paris time)
- Asia and the Pacific: 27 May 2025 (9.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. Paris time)