Decision of the Bureau: 15.COM 2.BUR 3.1 - patrimonio inmaterial - Sector de Cultura

The Bureau,

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,
Having examined document LHE/20/15.COM 2.BUR/3, as well as International Assistance request no. 01624 submitted by Antigua and Barbuda,
Takes note that Antigua and Barbuda has requested International Assistance for the project entitled Strengthening capacities for the implementation of the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in Antigua and Barbuda:

This nineteen-month project is aimed at strengthening capacities for the sustainable implementation of the 2003 Convention in Antigua and Barbuda to ensure the inventorying, promotion and safeguarding of living heritage in the country. To be implemented by the Cultural Development Division of the Ministry of Sports, Culture, National Festivals and the Arts with the assistance of the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean in Kingston, the project responds to the urgent need to develop a national, coordinated strategy advancing the implementation of the Convention and is informed by stakeholders’ concerns about the risk of key elements of living heritage vanishing. A nineteen-member coordination unit (NITCU) will be established for the duration of the project and beyond, comprising custodians and stakeholders from the public and private sectors as well as civil society. The project will create the country’s first ever national inventory of living heritage, enhancing national technical capacities to harvest and interpret related data and improving upon the exchange of information between the public and private sectors as well as civil society. Two pilot safeguarding activities – focusing on the Game of Warri and Traditional Boatbuilding – will be undertaken to trial safeguarding measures and instruct future safeguarding activities. Training workshops will focus on the principles and workings of the Convention, community-based inventorying and the use of audiovisual equipment and archival software, and the resulting inventory will be published, accompanied by a report on the findings. The resulting inventory is expected to raise awareness of key elements of living heritage and their viability as well as to encourage better coordinated, and evidenced-based, investment and policy attention to safeguarding living heritage.

Further takes note that:
1. this assistance is to support a project implemented at the national level, in accordance with Article 20 (c) of the Convention;
2. the State Party has requested International Assistance that will partly take the form of services from the Secretariat to the State; and
3. the assistance therefore takes the form of the provision of a grant and of services from UNESCO (the provision of experts, the training of the necessary staff, the development of standard-setting measures and the supply of equipment), pursuant to Article 21 (b), (c), (d), (f) and (g) of the Convention;

Also takes note that Antigua and Barbuda has requested assistance in the amount of US$97,754 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for the implementation of this project, which will be jointly implemented by the Ministry of Sports, Culture, National Festivals and the Arts and the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean in Kingston;
Understands that the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean in Kingston will be responsible for the provision of international expertise for capacity-building activities and the establishment of the related contracts, administrative support and technical backstopping (12 per cent of the requested amount), while the requesting State will be responsible for the logistical organization of capacity-building activities, the provision of national experts, the pilot inventorying exercises, the safeguarding activities and awareness-raising campaign and the purchase of equipment (88 per cent of the requested amount), as described in the request;
Decides that, from the information provided in file no. 01624, 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: Prior to the submission of this request, a broad consultation took place with the involvement of individuals, communities, the private sector and civil society organizations. Community members in both islands (whose representatives will serve on the NITCU) will be fully involved in the activities implemented through this project and in the future activities, including updating the inventory beyond the closure of the project. Furthermore, the public awareness campaign is intended to keep community members updated on the progress of the project while their experiences and feedback will be reflected in the design of future safeguarding activities.

Criterion A.2: The budget is presented in a structured manner, reflecting the planned activities and related expenses. Since the project will be supported by a high proportion of in-kind contributions and contributions other than that of the submitting State, detailed information provided according to budgetary sources is helpful. The amount of assistance requested may therefore be considered to be appropriate for the implementation of the proposed activities.

Criterion A.3: The activities are well-conceived in relation to the objectives and expected results of the project, clearly demonstrating that each of them has been designed to build capacities and gain experience for the purpose of safeguarding living heritage in the country. It is also laudable that the project is intended to respond to the needs of communities that are continuing to recover from the 2017 hurricane Irma. Overall, the sequence of the proposed activities is logical and seem feasible within the project duration.

Criterion A.4: The project foresees a number of activities that are expected to continue beyond the duration of the project, including updating the first living heritage inventory at the national level, safeguarding programmes on two selected traditions and practices and awareness-raising activities. One of the main strengths of the project is the interconnection between the cultural sector and the educational and labour sectors for the safeguarding of the national living heritage, which augurs well for building strong mechanisms for the sustainability of this project.

Criterion A.5: The submitting State Party will contribute 68 per cent and other partners will contribute a further 10 per cent of the total amount of the project for which International Assistance is requested from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.

Criterion A.6: The project places a strong emphasis on the involvement of multiple stakeholders in order to respond to their capacity-building needs in the field of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding. All the activities have been planned in such a way as to build the capacities of community members and other stakeholders to plan and manage safeguarding actions, while privileging the sense of pride and ownership of the bearer communities.

Criterion A.7: Antigua and Barbuda has not previously received any financial assistance from UNESCO under the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund of the 2003 Convention to implement similar or related activities in the field of intangible cultural heritage.

Paragraph 10(a): The project is national in scope and its implementation involves national and local partners, including the Cultural Department Division of the Ministry of Sports, Culture, National Festivals and the Arts, the Heritage Department of the National Parks Authority, the Ministries of Education and Labour, the Community Development Division, the Barbuda Chair for Tourism, Culture, Sport, and Youth Affairs, the Environmental Awareness Group, the Precision Centre, the Antigua and Barbuda Warri Academy, maritime stakeholders, thirty-two community members, and the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean in Kingston.

Paragraph 10(b): The links amongst the planned activities are clearly thought-out and have been designed to produce a multiplier effect: the inventory is meant to serve as a starting point for supporting a system for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in the country and at the same time safeguarding activities are set up to be replicated for other traditions and practices in the country. The information given in the request clearly indicates the financial and technical engagements of the national authorities, the public sector and civil organizations to support the continuation of the activities beyond the duration of the project.

Approves the International Assistance request from Antigua and Barbuda for the project entitled Strengthening capacities for the implementation of the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in Antigua and Barbuda and grants the amount of US$97,754 for the implementation of this project according to the modality described in paragraphs 5 and 6;
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 work plan and the budget 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 State Party to use Form ICH-04-Report when reporting on the use of the International Assistance provided.