The Bureau,
- Recalling Article 23 of the Convention as well as Chapter I.4 of the Operational Directives relating to the eligibility and selection criteria of International Assistance requests;
- Having examined Document LHE/19/14.COM 3.BUR/1 as well as preparatory assistance request no. 01563, submitted by Timor-Leste;
- Takes note that Timor-Leste has requested International Assistance in the amount of US$10,000 to prepare for the nomination of Tais, traditional textile to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:
Tais, traditional textile is a form of weaving tradition commonly practiced by women in Timor-Leste. Women weavers are committed to passing on the related knowledge and techniques to future generations, yet major challenges including inadequate space for the production of Tais, financial constraints, disappearance of traditional motifs, lack of enthusiasm from the youth in learning this weaving style threaten the continued production of Tais as well as the transmission of the related skills. Building on the discussions during the national stakeholder workshops held in March 2017 and September 2018, a national workshop was held in April 2019 when women weavers across the country raised their concerns about these risks and expressed their consent to the nomination. The National Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage will lead the preparation of the nomination file in collaboration with the communities concerned, while the Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO is an institutional focal point for this request. The process is expected to lead to the submission of a nomination by 31 March 2020, for possible inscription of the element on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2021.
- Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 01563, the request responds as follows to the criteria for granting International Assistance set out in Paragraphs 10 and 12 of the Operational Directives:
Criterion A.1: The communities concerned were fully consulted during the preparation of the request and clearly expressed their interest in and consent to the nomination of the element to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. The consultations have been carried out through several stakeholder participation workshops since 2017, and mainly involved women participants who are the primary practitioners of the element in question. The requesting State also intends to organize field visits and a consultation forum to discuss and develop consensus on the safeguarding plan developed by the National Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Criterion A.2: The amount requested by the State Party seems appropriate in relation to the proposed activities for the preparation of the nomination file to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
Criterion A.3: The proposed request consists of four main activities presented in a sequential manner with the objective of developing and obtaining consent to the safeguarding plan and achieving wider agreement for the nomination of the element. Each activity is clearly defined, well-planned and feasible, and is expected to contribute to fulfilling the necessary requirements of the nomination process.
Criterion A.4: Through this request, the State Party commits to submitting a nomination for possible inscription of the element on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2021 (within the submission deadline of 31 March 2020). The community members’ direct involvement in the fieldwork is expected to raise their capacity to safeguard living heritage and should, therefore, contribute to short and medium-term results.
Criterion A.5: The submitting State Party will contribute 36 per cent and other partners will contribute a further 46 per cent of the total amount of the project for which preparatory assistance is requested.
Criterion A.6: The request foresees the organization of extraordinary meetings by the National Committee for Intangible Cultural Heritage to develop the safeguarding plan and discuss it with community members. This will contribute to raising awareness about the element among the communities and will help them devise strategies on ways and means to safeguard it, thereby enhancing their own capacities to implement the safeguarding plan.
Criterion A.7: Timor-Leste has not previously benefitted from any financial assistance from UNESCO under the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund of the 2003 Convention to implement similar or related activities in the field of intangible cultural heritage.
- Approves the International Assistance request from Timor-Leste for the preparation of the nomination of Tais, traditional textile to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and grants an amount of US$10,000 to the State Party to this end;
- Requests that the Secretariat reach an agreement with the State Party on the technical details of the preparatory assistance, including a detailed budget;
- Encourages the State Party to ensure the involvement of the communities concerned in the whole process of preparing the nomination file;
- Invites the State Party to use Form ICH-05-Report when reporting on the use of the assistance.