The Bureau,
- Recalling Chapter V of the Convention as well as Chapter I.4 of the Operational Directives relating to the eligibility and selection criteria of International Assistance requests,
- Having examined document LHE/25/20.COM 4.BUR/3 as well as International Assistance request no. 02462 submitted by Nepal,
- Takes note that Nepal has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Development of inventory of intangible cultural heritage covering all seven provinces of Nepal:
To be implemented by the UNESCO Office in Kathmandu, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) of Nepal, this twenty-four-month project aims to safeguard intangible cultural heritage in Nepal. The project entails raising awareness of the 2003 Convention and promoting its implementation, building capacity for community-based inventorying, and developing an inventory of at least twenty intangible cultural heritage elements. Activities include conducting community-based inventorying workshops for indigenous communities and enhancing visibility and awareness about living heritage through its inventorying and documentation. The project emphasizes the involvement of bearers and practitioners, including representatives from indigenous communities. In addition to strengthening Nepal’s overall capacity to safeguard its intangible cultural heritage, the project’s participatory approach will empower communities to take an active role in identifying and implementing safeguarding measures. It will also equip community members – especially youth – with the skills necessary to conduct workshops and training sessions in their own and in other interested communities, further strengthening awareness and inventorying skills. Moreover, the increased visibility of living heritage is expected to attract financial support from local governments, private organizations and international donors, thus enabling additional safeguarding and promotional activities.
- Further takes note that:
- This assistance is to support a project implemented at the national level, in accordance with Article 20 (c) of the Convention;
- The State Party has requested International Assistance that will take the form of services from UNESCO 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;
- Also takes note that the request concerns International Assistance in the amount of US$99,033 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for this project, which will be implemented by the UNESCO Office in Kathmandu, in close cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal;
- Understands that the UNESCO Office in Kathmandu 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) organizing the trainings, workshops and meetings; (b) facilitating the selection of trainees and participants; (c) facilitating access to information and data on living heritage; and (d) providing support for the implementation of project activities.
- Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 02462, 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 need to strengthen capacities for community-based inventorying of intangible cultural heritage, particularly among indigenous communities, was identified through the periodic reporting exercise[1] undertaken by Nepal in 2024. Representatives from seventeen communities gathered in July 2025 and expressed their wish for capacity-building training, to be followed by community-based inventorying exercises across the country. While the proposal was initiated by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, three indigenous organizations were involved in preparing the International Assistance request. The request clearly demonstrates community involvement in all the activities foreseen in the project. They will also be part of the national coordination committee which will oversee the implementation of the project.
Criterion A.2: The budget breakdown and the proposed timetable are well-structured and in line with the activities described in the request. The amount of assistance requested is deemed appropriate.
Criterion A.3: The request is composed of ten activities presented in a logical sequence that relate to establishing the project structure; coordinating a national awareness-raising workshop; facilitating capacity-building training and community-based inventories; producing communication materials on the elements inventoried; and conducting monitoring and evaluation, among others. The activities are clearly described and correspond to the objectives and expected results outlined in the request.
Criterion A.4: The project is expected to have lasting results by strengthening the capacities of a significant number of individuals through the development of expertise and knowledge on the key principles of the 2003 Convention. Communication materials, including those disseminated through social media, will enhance the visibility of the project’s outcomes among civil society, youth and other stakeholders. Educational and cultural organizations will be able to use these materials to develop educational support tools, such as children’s books, games and videos that showcase living heritage and contribute to its visibility. Finally, the results of the inventories at the provincial level will be integrated into the national inventory of the requesting State. It is also expected that the partnerships established between UNESCO, national authorities and the communities concerned will serve as a foundation for future safeguarding initiatives, thus contributing to a greater appreciation of Nepal’s intangible cultural heritage.
Criterion A.5: The requesting State Party will contribute 4 per cent (US$4,875) and the UNESCO Office in Kathmandu will contribute 11 per cent (in-kind contribution of US$12,836) of the total amount of the project budget (US$116,744). Consequently, International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the remaining 85 per cent of the total amount of the project.
Criterion A.6: The request demonstrates a clear focus on capacity-building for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage at both community and institutional levels, in line with the objectives of the 2003 Convention. Through three seven-day capacity-building workshops, at least eighty-five people will be trained in community-based inventorying. Participants will include fifty indigenous community members, twenty representatives from local authorities, ten officials from MoCTCA and five students. The training will be delivered by national facilitators using participatory methodologies and will be followed by fieldwork exercises aimed at identifying, documenting and inventorying intangible cultural heritage elements across the country. The training component also emphasizes gender inclusivity and intergenerational transmission, with a focus on empowering youth and women as future resource persons. The project will disseminate knowledge to community members in seven provinces of Nepal and support the development of future inventories at local and national levels, thereby contributing to long-term safeguarding efforts.
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 safeguarding activities in the field of intangible cultural heritage.
Paragraph 10(a): The project is national in scope and involves the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, as well as local authorities, academics and community-based organizations such as the National Foundation for the Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN), the Indigenous Nationalities Commission (INC) and the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN).
Paragraph 10(b): The inventories and communication materials to be developed during the project will contribute to raising awareness among communities about the importance of safeguarding their living heritage. The project may also encourage similar initiatives for the inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in Nepal.
Paragraph 10(b): The inventories and communication materials to be developed during the project will contribute to raising awareness among communities about the importance of safeguarding their living heritage. The project may also encourage similar initiatives for the inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in Nepal.
- Approves the International Assistance request from Nepal for the project entitled Development of inventory of intangible cultural heritage covering all seven provinces of Nepal, and grants the amount of US$99,033 for the implementation of this project according to the modality described in paragraphs 5 and 6;
- Commends the State Party for the submission of an International Assistance request as a direct follow up to its latest Periodic Report on the implementation of the Convention (submitted in 2024), demonstrating the effective use, in an inter-related manner, of the international cooperation mechanisms of the Convention;
- Encourages the requesting State Party to consult the Guidance Note (2021) on the process of inventorying intangible cultural heritage, which provides a list of issues to be considered prior to and during the inventorying process, as well as the Convention’s capacity-building materials repository on inventorying, which may also provide additional information;
- 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;
- Invites the requesting State Party to use Form ICH-04-Report to report on the use of the assistance granted.
[1] The periodic report submitted by Nepal will be examined, together with other reports submitted by States Parties in Asia and the Pacific, by the twentieth session of the Committee, to be held from 8 to 13 December 2025 in New Delhi, Republic of India.