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 3.BUR/3 as well as International Assistance request no. 02125 submitted by Sao Tome and Principe,
3. Takes note that Sao Tome and Principe has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Development of a national inventory of intangible cultural heritage in Sao Tome and Principe:

To be implemented by UNESCO in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences, this sixteen-month project aims to strengthen national capacities, raise awareness about intangible cultural heritage among bearers, practitioners and the public, and support community-led safeguarding efforts. It is the first project of its kind in Sao Tome and Principe and will provide the country with an inventory framework and build the technical capacities of safeguarding actors. The activities, which will be carried out in an inclusive and participatory manner, entail: (a) capacity-building workshops on the 2003 Convention and training on inventory processes; (b) community-based inventorying, including the compilation and analysis of collected data; and (c) communication and awareness raising on intangible cultural heritage. This project was designed in collaboration with the communities concerned in the two main islands. Its implementation will be based on a dynamic partnership between these communities and the district authorities, academics and researchers, cultural associations, NGOs, and national and local media. The project is expected to lay a sustainable foundation for safeguarding living heritage and conducting routine inventorying activities.

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

• The assistance therefore takes the form of the provision of services from UNESCO(100 per cent of the financial transactions are to be managed by UNESCO), pursuant to Article 21 (b) and (g) of the Convention;

5. Also takes note that Sao Tome and Principe has requested assistance in the amount of US$99,916 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of this project, which will be implemented by the UNESCO’s Multisectoral Regional Office for Central Africa, in close cooperation with the Intangible Heritage Directorate of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences of Sao Tome and Principe;
6. Understandsthat UNESCO’s Multisectoral Regional Office for Central Africa will be responsible for the management of the total amount requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, while the requesting State will be responsible for co-managing the project by: (a) providing human capacities and ensuring project monitoring activities; (b) supporting the communities throughout the project; (c) organizing the capacity-building workshops and the inventorying exercises; (d) ensuring media coverage of the project; and (e) providing logistical and technical support in the implementation of project’s activities.
7. Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 02125, 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 prepared as part of the technical assistance requested by the State Party for the preparation of the request for International Assistance. During this mission in August 2023, a Portuguese-speaking expert met with the communities of the two islands of the country, who agreed to participate in the project. They expressed their need to safeguard ‘Tchiloli’, a theatre tradition, which was inventoried in March 2024, and also made known their wish to participate in the elaboration of a more exhaustive inventory of living heritage on the two islands. Representatives from the six districts of Sao Tome and from the autonomous region of Principe will play an active role in the implementation of the activities foreseen in the request.

Criterion A.2: The budget is well-structured, with sufficient details regarding the cost of the proposed activities. The amount of assistance requested is therefore deemed appropriate for the implementation of the proposed activities.

Criterion A.3: The project consists of twelve activities covering: the establishment of project management structures; the purchase of equipment; capacity building on participatory, community-based inventorying and related fieldwork exercises; documentation; awareness-raising; and project monitoring. The activities are presented in a logical sequence and correspond to the objectives and expected results outlined in the request.

Criterion A.4: The long-term objective of the project is to capitalize on its achievements to reinforce the national policy of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in Sao Tome and Principe. This will be achieved by conducting regular community-based inventorying with the support of the network of people trained as part of the project. The project is expected to contribute to positioning living heritage as a strategic catalyst in the implementation of the country’s Cultural Policy Charter, which is currently being revised through ongoing country-wide consultations.

Criterion A.5: The requesting State Party will contribute 16 per cent (US$18,830) of the total amount of the project budget (US$118,746). Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 84 per cent of the total amount of the project.

Criterion A.6: The request describes how the project will significantly contribute to capacity building in various ways. It will equip the staff of the Ministry of Culture with the necessary knowledge and skills to identify, inventory and safeguard intangible cultural heritage, while allowing them to gain an in-depth understanding of best practices in safeguarding living heritage. They will also be able to develop effective policies and programmes that facilitate the transmission of these practices to future generations, while respecting the rights and needs of local communities. Furthermore, a core team of approximately thirty trainers will be established, representing government institutions, universities, NGOs and cultural associations. These individuals will conduct community-based inventories and supervise inventory teams. At the community level, the capacity-building workshops will use an inclusive approach to ensure the widest possible participation of all relevant stakeholders. The workshops will introduce the basic concepts of the 2003 Convention and strengthen the role of communities in inventorying, promoting and safeguarding their intangible cultural heritage.

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.

Paragraph 10(a): The project is national in scope and involves partners such as the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences, the National University and its department of social sciences, cultural associations and NGOs working in the field of intangible cultural heritage.

Paragraph 10(b): The national inventory and the communication materials to be developed during the project will contribute to raising awareness among communities about the importance of safeguarding their living heritage. Furthermore, it is expected that living heritage will be the subject of academic research, leading to the integration of living heritage in university curricula.

8. Approves the International Assistance request from Sao Tome and Principe for the project entitled Development of a national inventory of intangible cultural heritage in Sao Tome and Principe and grants the amount of US$99,916 for the implementation of this project according to the modality described in paragraphs 5 and 6;
9. Notes with interest the process of revising the Cultural Policy Charter and the ongoing national consultations, which could contribute to the inclusion of intangible cultural heritage in the new policy;
10. 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;
11. Invites the requesting State Party to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.