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/23/18.COM 2.BUR/4 as well as International Assistance request no. 02072 submitted by Togo,
3. Takes note that Togo has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Identification, capacity-building, safeguarding and promotion of traditional dances of Togo as a vector of sustainable cultural development:

To be implemented by CUL.DEV (Culture and Development), an accredited NGO under the Convention, this twenty-five-month project aims to identify, safeguard and promote traditional dances in Togo. The project involves inventorying the dances, including categorizing them and describing the related performance techniques, music, rhythms, contexts, dress and norms, as well as their social, spiritual and secular roles within the communities. The development of the inventory will engage youth, women and men, who will be specially trained for this purpose and will be mentored by professionals. To ensure the sustainability and transmission of the dances, the groups and associations holding the traditional knowledge and skills will contribute to the initiation of young practitioners representing communities from all Togo prefectures. The initiation sessions will be filmed and will cover techniques, songs and rituals related to the traditional dances. Demonstration sessions will also be organized in each region to feature rare or endangered dances and to present the project results to the communities concerned, dance associations, researchers, and other stakeholders. The project is expected to contribute to increased awareness about the cultural significance of traditional dances in particular, and about the importance of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in general.

4. Further takes note that this assistance aims to support a project implemented at the national level, in accordance with Article 20 (c) of the Convention, and that it takes the form of the provision of a grant, pursuant to Article 21 (g) of the Convention;
5. Also takes note that Togo has requested assistance in the amount of US$99,876 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of this project;
6. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 02072, 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 information provided in the request demonstrates that the project builds on the safeguarding efforts that Togo has been undertaking since 2011 with the general inventory of intangible cultural heritage. Furthermore, a series of national and regional consultations with communities, which took place from 2018 to 2022 as part of the implementation of the project ‘Inventory, safeguarding and promoting knowledge of how to manufacture and play Togo’s traditional musical instruments (national phase)’, also highlighted community needs to identify and safeguard traditional dances. Moreover, the request provides a detailed description of the role of the communities, including women and youth, and their close involvement in the proposed activities, including the monitoring and evaluation of those activities.

Criterion A.2: The total amount of assistance requested and the budget per activity seem appropriate and in line with the scope of the project to achieve the desired results.

Criterion A.3: The project has been developed taking into account the lessons learned from the previous International Assistance. The nine proposed activities are described in detail and presented in a logical sequence. They include: (a) awareness-raising activities through fifteen meetings throughout the country; (b) capacity building of communities on inventory techniques and safeguarding; and (c) revitalization actions.

Criterion A.4: The project is part of a long-term strategy implemented by the submitting State aimed at implementing a national programme for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage. This includes a training component on traditional dance practices. Furthermore, the Regional Institute for Higher Studies and Research in Cultural Development (IRES-RDEC) will offer high-level training to artists of all genders who wish to have a career in dance. Existing festivals, groups and local clubs also offer a framework for the sustainability of the project’s results, as they will contribute to revitalizing the transmission of the social and cultural values of this living heritage.

Criterion A.5: The requesting State will contribute 7 per cent of the total amount of the project budget (US$106,991). Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 93 per cent of the total amount of the project budget.

Criterion A.6: Capacity building of national institutions and of communities, especially women and youth, is an important aspect of the project, especially in terms of participatory inventories of living heritage and revitalizing the transmission of practices associated with traditional dances through training workshops and dance demonstrations. More than 500 people will be made aware of the importance of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and almost 200 young people will be initiated by practitioners and bearers to the techniques, know-how, songs and rituals linked to traditional dances. The project will also contribute to strengthening the capacities of government and NGO staff working in the field of safeguarding living heritage, thus helping to maintain safeguarding efforts in the country beyond the end of the project.

Criterion A.7: Togo has benefited from International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for three completed projects.[1] The work stipulated in the contracts related to these projects was carried out in accordance with UNESCO regulations.

Paragraph 10(a): The project is national in scope and involves national and regional partners, including the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and civil society institutions.

Paragraph 10(b): The project foresees that the Fund to support cultural activities (FAC - Fonds d’aide à la culture) will support the future projects related to the practice of traditional dance. This demonstrates the State’s capacity to mobilize financial resources with the aim of safeguarding traditional dance practices in Togo.

7. Approves the International Assistance request from Togo for the project entitled Identification, capacity-building, safeguarding and promotion of traditional dances of Togo as a vector of sustainable cultural development and grants the amount of US$99,876 to the requesting State for this purpose;
8. Requests the implementing agency to work in close collaboration with national authorities to ensure their active participation in all activities foreseen under this project and encourages the requesting State to take into consideration the results of this project in all national initiatives in the field of intangible cultural heritage;
9. Further encourages the implementing agency to consider the results of previous International Assistance granted to the requesting State in order to build on their achievements and to benefit from the lessons learnt;
10. Further requests that the Secretariat reach an agreement with the requesting State 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;
11. Invites the requesting State to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.

[1] 1) ‘General inventory of intangible cultural heritage’ (US$24,770; March 2010 – September 2011); 2) ‘Inventory, safeguarding and promoting knowledge of how to manufacture and play Togo’s traditional musical instruments (Pilot phase in the Maritime region, south Togo)’ (US$24,950; December 2015 – December 2016); and 3) ‘Inventory, safeguarding and promoting knowledge of how to manufacture and play Togo’s traditional musical instruments (national phase)’ (US$99,890.39; March 2019 – June 2022).