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/24/19.COM 2.BUR/4 and the request for preparatory assistance no. 02212 submitted by Papua New Guinea,
3. Takes note that Papua New Guinea has requested International Assistance in the amount of US$10,000 to prepare a nomination of Social practices and cultural elements of Toare Gulf mask festival to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:

To be implemented by the Papua New Guinea National Cultural Commission, this nine-month project is aimed at preparing a nomination file to the Urgent Safeguarding List for the social practices and rituals related to the Toare mask festival. The Toare community has a population of around six to seven hundred people and is located in the Uamai villages. An annual celebration and a means of asking ancestral spirits for blessings, protection and bountiful harvests, the festival involves specific rituals, songs, dance performances and a procession. The masks are created using natural materials, and the colours, styles and shapes used have spiritual meanings and connotations. The festival and the related knowledge and practices are at risk of disappearing due to religious and educational influences that portray the practice as evil. This project will support, among others, awareness-raising activities on intangible cultural heritage among local authorities and bearer communities and ensure their involvement in the preparation of the nomination file to the Urgent Safeguarding List.

4. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 02212, 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 clearly indicates that the Toare community members will be broadly involved in the preparation of the nomination, as will the traditional leaders, and provincial and local officials. Community representatives will also be part of the exercise to document the social and cultural practices related to the element and will be involved in the construction of a cultural centre.

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 preparatory assistance will be used to organize two awareness-raising meetings on the importance of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. The first meeting will involve provincial and local government authorities, while the second one will target community members, bearers and practitioners to obtain their free, prior and informed consent for the initiative. In addition, the project will contribute to the collection of information (film and photographs) to be submitted as part of the nomination file. The construction of a cultural centre is also planned and traditional materials will be used to store and safekeep the related cultural objects, such as masks.

Criterion A.4: The requesting State Party is committed to submitting a nomination for the possible inscription of the element on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. The submission is expected before 31 March 2025 for possible inscription by the Committee at its twenty-first session, provided that the nomination can be included in the 2026 cycle, in application of the annual ceiling for the number of nominations and the priority system in force at the time of the submission.

Criterion A.5: The requesting State Party will contribute 34 per cent (US$5,138) of the total amount of the project for preparatory assistance. Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 66 per cent of the total amount of the project.

Criterion A.6: It is expected that the capacities of the community members will be reinforced through their involvement in the documentation of the element. In addition, the two meetings foreseen as part of the project will contribute to the discussion and definition of the safeguarding measures for the element, thus increasing its viability.

Criterion A.7: The requesting State Party has not previously received any financial assistance from UNESCO under the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund of the 2003 Convention to implement activities in the field of intangible cultural heritage.

5. Approves the request for preparatory assistance from Papua New Guinea for the preparation of the nomination for the Social practices and cultural elements of Toare Gulf mask festival in view of the submission of the nomination for possible inscription of the element on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, and grants the amount of US$10,000 to the requesting State Party to this end;
6. Encourages the requesting State Party to strengthen the capacity of the communities concerned to safeguard the practice in question by explaining the mechanisms of the 2003 Convention and its purpose during the consultations;
7. 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 the work plan of the activities to be covered by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund are detailed and specific enough to provide a sufficient justification of all the expenditures;
8. Invites the requesting State Party to use Form ICH-05-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.