The Bureau,

1. Recalling Article 23 of the Convention as well as Chapter I.4 of the Operational Directives relating to the eligibility and criteria of International Assistance requests,
2. Having examined document LHE/22/17.COM 4.BUR/3 as well as International Assistance request no. 01930 submitted by Saint Kitts and Nevis,
3. Takes note that Saint Kitts and Nevis has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Safeguarding Saint Kitts and Nevis Intangible Cultural Heritage: developing a National Intangible Cultural Heritage Policy:

This is a two-year project based on a series of consultations with traditional and knowledge bearers and communities, groups and individuals about opportunities and challenges in the practice of their living heritage. The primary objective is the development of a National Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Policy, which was recognized in the consultations as fundamental to safeguarding living heritage and fostering cultural identity and social cohesion. The policy will outline principles, goals and strategies to support the safeguarding of living heritage, including those expressions related to livelihoods and sustainable development. The project entails: mobilizing the communities concerned to help develop the policy; actively engaging government officials, ministries and departments directly and indirectly concerned with culture; promoting a more deliberate implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage; examining and potentially amending and creating legislation; and spreading awareness of the challenges and barriers faced by those who rely on ICH for their livelihoods. The project will be implemented by the Department of Culture – Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, with support from the Nevis Cultural Development Foundation and Living Heritage Secretariats, with the service from the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean in Kingston.

4. Further takes note that:
   1. This assistance is to support a project implemented at the national level, in accordance with Article 20 (c) of the Convention;
   2. The State Party has requested International Assistance that will partly take the form of services from the Secretariat to the State; and

• The assistance therefore takes the form of the provision of a grant and of services from UNESCO (the provision of experts), pursuant to Article 21 (b) and (g) of the Convention;

5. Also takes note that Saint Kitts and Nevis has requested assistance in the amount of US$91,252 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of this project, which will be jointly implemented by the Department of Culture of the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean in Kingston;
6. Understands that the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean in Kingston will be responsible for the provision of international expertise for the seminar, the drafting of the national ICH policy and the establishment of the related contracts (17 per cent of the requested amount), while the requesting State will be responsible for the capacity-building activities, assessment of the existing legislation, logistical organization of the ICH policy launch event and seminar, consultations with traditional bearers, government officials, NGOs and other stakeholders and drafting of the national ICH policy (83 per cent of the requested amount), as described in the request;
7. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 01930, the request responds as follows to the criteria for granting International Assistance given in paragraphs 10 and 12 of the Operational Directives:

Criterion A.1: The request demonstrates the active role of the communities when planning, implementing and evaluating the project. During the preparation of this International Assistance request the national government hosted a three-week consultation with communities, interviewed bearers from the five intangible cultural heritage domains, and developed a survey for government officials to identify which national offices interact with living heritage and cultural industries.

Criterion A.2: The budget is presented in a structured manner, reflecting the planned activities and related expenses. The amount of assistance requested may therefore be considered to be appropriate for the implementation of the proposed activities.

Criterion A.3: The project proposes a series of phases aimed at the development of a National Intangible Cultural Heritage Policy for Saint Kitts and Nevis. They are presented in a logical sequence and include capacity building for all stakeholders, assessment of the State Party’s existing legislation, a policy expert visit to the country, consultation with bearers, government officials, NGOs and other communities, and drafting and launch of the policy. The proposed activities correspond to the objectives and expected results outlined in the request. They seem feasible within the proposed duration of the project.

Criterion A.4: The involvement of bearers, heritage policy experts and other stakeholders represents an important factor in ensuring the sustainability of the results of the project. Their participation is expected to ensure the integrity of the intangible cultural heritage policy to be created and the impact that this policy can have in future safeguarding practices in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Furthermore, as a result of the previous international assistance project ‘Strengthening inventory preparation capacity for implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Saint Kitts and Nevis’ implemented from May 2019 to April 2021, the State Party created the Intangible Cultural Heritage Secretariat of Saint Kitts Heritage Office, which will ensure the administrative infrastructure and budget for the implementation of the policy to be created through this international assistance.

Criterion A.5: The submitting State Party will contribute 54 per cent of the total amount of the project for which International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.

Criterion A.6: The project is clearly aimed at developing the capacities of communities and other stakeholders concerned, with a focus on bearers and government officials. During a first phase of the project, capacity-building activities aim at engaging the members of an existing intangible cultural heritage network to support the identification of more communities, groups and individuals involved in living heritage. Once the intangible cultural heritage policy is completed, sixty government officials and 150 community members will be trained on the policy and its impacts. Consequently, the skills acquired by the participants over the course of the project will help implement the policy and other safeguarding efforts in the country.

Criterion A.7: Saint Kitts and Nevis has benefited from International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for one completed project entitled ‘Strengthening inventory preparation capacity for implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Saint Kitts and Nevis’ (file no. 01426, 2019-2021, US$99,443).

Paragraph 10(a): The project is national in scope and its implementation involves national and local partners.

Paragraph 10(b): The project is expected to raise awareness at the national level about the importance of safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

8. Approves the International Assistance request from Saint Kitts and Nevis for the project entitled Safeguarding Saint Kitts and Nevis Intangible Cultural Heritage: developing a National Intangible Cultural Heritage Policy and grants the amount of US$91,252 to the State Party for this purpose;
9. Requests that the Secretariat reach an agreement with the requesting State Party on the technical details of the assistance, paying particular attention to ensuring that the budget and work plan of the activities to be covered by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund are detailed and specific enough to provide sufficient justification of the expenditures;
10. Invites the State Party to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.