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 3.BUR/3 as well as International Assistance request no. 02149 submitted by Mali,
3. Takes note that Mali has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Safeguarding plans for the transfer of three elements of Mali’s intangible cultural heritage inscribed on the Urgent Safeguarding List to the Representative List:

To be implemented by the National Directorate-General of Cultural Heritage, this two-year project aims to support safeguarding plans for three elements inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding: (a) ‘The Sanké mon: a collective fishing rite of the Sanké’ (inscribed in 2009); (b) ‘The secret society of the Kôrêdugaw, the rite of wisdom in Mali’ (inscribed in 2011); and (c) ‘Cultural practices and expressions linked to the M’bolon, a traditional musical percussion instrument’ (inscribed in 2021). The project involves collecting information, producing documentation, and conducting awareness-raising sessions and capacity-building workshops. The workshops will support the communities and civil society organizations in the elaboration and implementation of safeguarding plans adapted to the socio-economic, cultural and environmental context of each element. The project also entails traveling exhibitions to raise awareness and support transmission among youth, and training sessions and materials for tourist guides. This project is expected to promote the active participation of communities in safeguarding living heritage and to contribute to the gradual alleviation of threats to the elements. It will also strengthen collaboration between technical services, communities and local authorities while developing partnerships and mobilizing financial resources.

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 Mali has requested assistance in the amount of US$99,950 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of this project;
6. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 02149, 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 was developed following field missions carried out by the teams of the National Directorate-General of Cultural Heritage to attend celebrations and festivities linked to the three elements. During these events, the communities expressed their wish to benefit from capacity building to allow bearers and practitioners to transmit their knowledge and skills on the living heritage practices to future generations. The project foresees the involvement of six communities from three different regions in Mali that will actively participate in the planning, monitoring and follow-up of the project. Communities will be represented by local management structures that will be established at the start of the project.

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 as appropriate for the implementation of the proposed activities.

Criterion A.3: The project is structured around five main activities with a view to contribute to the implementation of the safeguarding plans of the three endangered elements. The proposed activities are clearly identified and correspond to the objectives and expected results outlined in the request. Furthermore, the timeframe is realistic to enable the effective implementation of the project.

Criterion A.4: The project foresees the implementation of the safeguarding plans by the communities and other stakeholders. Documentation and updating of information concerning the three elements inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, as well as developing new safeguarding measures that will be undertaken in collaboration with the custodians. The project also foresees raising awareness about the importance of the role of bearers and practitioners in the transmission of knowledge and skills related to these practices, such as through the production of an exhibition and of communication materials. The overall aim is to sufficiently improve the viability of the elements so that they may be transferred from the List of Intangible Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The initiative builds on the efforts made so far by Mali to address safeguarding challenges encountered by each of the inscribed elements, as communicated through the periodic reports submitted to the Committee.[1]

Criterion A.5: The requesting State will contribute 10 per cent of the total amount of the project budget (US$110,770). Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 90 per cent of the total amount of the project budget.

Criterion A.6: The project is clearly aimed at developing the capacities of the communities concerned, with a focus on women and youth. The project adopts an inclusive and gender-balanced approach, as women will play an active role in the training sessions and in the activities to ensure the transmission of the practices. The project seeks to reinforce the capacities of community representatives through training on the 2003 Convention and the development of safeguarding measures. Various training workshops will target 360 community representatives, youth and staff from public administrations. Furthermore, the project entails training tour guides to better understand the meaning and value of the three intangible cultural heritage elements. This will generate a sense of pride among the communities benefiting from the project, thus encouraging them to continue their efforts to safeguard and promote social practices and cultural expressions.

Criterion A.7: Mali has benefited from International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for four completed projects.^[2] 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 partners such as museums and regional institutions working in the field of culture, called ‘cultural missions’. It will be implemented in collaboration with the Institute of Human Sciences and the Department of History and Ethnography of the University of Social Sciences and Management.

Paragraph 10(b): The project is expected to increase the visibility and viability of the three elements and to contribute to the implementation of the safeguarding measures. The local management structures, which will last beyond the completion of the project, will provide an important space for communities to get involved in activities to safeguard their living heritage.

7. Approves the International Assistance request from Mali for the project entitled Safeguarding plans for the transfer of three elements of Mali’s intangible cultural heritage inscribed on the Urgent Safeguarding List to the Representative List and grants the amount of US$99,950 for the implementation of this project;
8. Encourages the State Party to consider, at the end of the project, preparing nomination files for the transfer of these three elements from the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;
9. Further encourages the State Party to respect the customary practices governing the access to the elements concerned, in particular for ‘the Secret society of the Kôrêdugaw’;
10. 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] ‘The Sanké mon: a collective fishing rite of the Sanké’: Decision 9.COM 5.b.4 for the first report, Decision 13.COM 7.b.9 for the second report and Decision 17.COM 6.a.17 for the third report; ‘The secret society of the Kôrêdugaw, the rite of wisdom in Mali’: Decision 15.COM 7.5 for the first report (the second report is due by 15 December 2023); ‘Cultural practices and expressions linked to the M’bolon, a traditional musical percussion instrument’: the first report is due by 15 December 2023.

[2] (a) ‘Implementation of proposed safeguarding measures for the Sanké mon, collective fishing rite of the Sanké’ (US$24,000; February 2010–June 2011); (b) Preparatory assistance (List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding) for the project entitled ‘Secret society of Korèdugaw, the rite of wisdom, in Mali’ (US$8,500; December 2009–April 2010); (c) ‘Inventory of intangible cultural heritage in Mali with a view to its urgent safeguarding’ (US$307,307; December 2013–November 2016); and (d) Preparatory assistance (List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding) for the project entitled ‘Cultural practices and expressions linked to the ‘M’Bolon’, a traditional musical percussion instrument’ (US$9,900; October 2019–March 2020).