For a complete presentation of the procedures, please:
- refer to the Operational Directives and
- download nomination forms.
Inscription on the Urgent Safeguarding List
Criteria
In nomination files, the submitting State(s) Party(ies) is(are) requested to demonstrate that an element proposed for inscription on the Urgent Safeguarding List satisfies all of the following criteria:
- U.1 The element constitutes intangible cultural heritage as defined in Article 2 of the Convention.
- U.2
- a. The element is in urgent need of safeguarding because its viability is at risk despite the efforts of the community, group or, if applicable, individuals and State(s) Party(ies) concerned;
(or) - b. The element is in extremely urgent need of safeguarding because it is facing grave threats as a result of which it cannot be expected to survive without immediate safeguarding.
- a. The element is in urgent need of safeguarding because its viability is at risk despite the efforts of the community, group or, if applicable, individuals and State(s) Party(ies) concerned;
- U.3 Safeguarding measures are elaborated that may enable the community, group or, if applicable, individuals concerned to continue the practice and transmission of the element.
- U.4 The element has been nominated following the widest possible participation of the community, group or, if applicable, individuals concerned and with their free, prior and informed consent.
- U.5 The element is included in an inventory of the intangible cultural heritage present in the territory(ies) of the submitting State(s) Party(ies), as defined in Article 11 and Article 12 of the Convention.
- U.6 In cases of extreme urgency, the State(s) Party(ies) concerned has (have) been duly consulted regarding inscription of the element in conformity with Article 17.3 of the Convention.
Inscription on the Representative List
Criteria
In nomination files, the submitting State(s) Party(ies) is (are) requested to demonstrate that an element proposed for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity satisfies all of the following criteria:
- R.1 The element constitutes intangible cultural heritage as defined in Article 2 of the Convention.
- R.2 Inscription of the element will contribute to ensuring visibility and awareness of the significance of the intangible cultural heritage and to encouraging dialogue, thus reflecting cultural diversity worldwide and testifying to human creativity.
- R.3 Safeguarding measures are elaborated that may protect and promote the element.
- R.4 The element has been nominated following the widest possible participation of the community, group or, if applicable, individuals concerned and with their free, prior and informed consent.
- R.5 The element is included in an inventory of the intangible cultural heritage present in the territory(ies) of the submitting State(s) Party(ies), as defined in Article 11 and Article 12 of the Convention.
Selection of proposals for the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices
Criteria
From among the programmes, projects or activities proposed to it, the Committee shall select those that satisfy all of the following criteria:
- G.1 The programme, project or activity involves safeguarding, as defined in Article 2.3 of the Convention, reflecting the principles and objectives of the Convention.
- G.2 The programme, project or activity has demonstrated effectiveness in contributing to the viability of the intangible cultural heritage concerned.
- G.3 The programme, project or activity is or has been implemented with the participation of the community, group or, if applicable, individuals concerned and with their free, prior, sustained and informed consent at the time of submission.
- G.4 The submitting State(s) Party(ies), implementing body(ies), and community, group or, if applicable, individuals concerned are willing to coordinate and cooperate in the dissemination of good practices, if their programme, project or activity is selected. They may serve as a source of inspiration at local, subregional, regional or international levels, as the case may be, for safeguarding activities.
Timetable
Phase 1: Preparation and submission
| Inscription on the Urgent Safeguarding List | Inscription on the Representative List | Proposals for the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices | Transfer requests from the Urgent Safeguarding List to the Representative List |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 March Year 0 Deadline for preparatory assistance requests for the elaboration of nominations. | 31 March Year 0 Deadline for preparatory assistance requests for the elaboration of nominations (only for States Parties with no elements on this List already inscribed, excepting elements proposed via multinational nominations). | 31 March Year 0 Deadline for preparatory assistance requests for the elaboration of proposals. | 31 March Year 0 Deadline for preparatory assistance requests for the elaboration of transfer requests. 15 December Year 0 Deadline for submission of transfer requests. |
- 31 March Year 1
- Deadline by which nominations, proposals and requests must be received by the Secretariat. Files received after this date will be examined in the next cycle.
- 30 June Year 1
- Deadline by which the Secretariat will have processed the files, including registration and acknowledgement of receipt. If a file is found incomplete, the State Party is invited to complete the file.
- 30 September Year 1
- Deadline by which missing information required to complete the files, if any, shall be submitted by the State Party to the Secretariat. Files that remain incomplete are returned to the States Parties that may complete them for a subsequent cycle.
- 31 January Year 2 - Transfer requests from the Representative List to the Urgent Safeguarding List
- Deadline by which requests for transfer from the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding are received by the Secretariat. The Secretariat registers the requests. The requests are transmitted to the Evaluation Body on the same year of their submission, without checking whether a file is complete.
Phase 2: Evaluation
- December Year 1 to May Year 2
- Individual evaluation of the files by the Evaluation Body.
- June Year 2
- Meeting for evaluation by the Evaluation Body.
The Evaluation Body decides which files will be included in the dialogue process: a short question and answer process with the submitted State(s) is conducted through the Secretariat. - Two weeks after the June meeting Year 2
- Deadline by which the Evaluation Body shall transmit, through the Secretariat, its questions to the States Parties concerned by the dialogue process, in one of the two working languages of the Convention.
Within four weeks, States Parties concerned by the dialogue process shall respond to the requests of the Evaluation Body through the Secretariat, in the two working languages of the Convention. - Latest by September Year 2
- Meeting at which the Evaluation Body finalizes its evaluation of the files concerned by the dialogue process and its report on the evaluation of all files.
- Four weeks prior to the session of the Committee
- The files and evaluation reports are available online for consultation by States Parties.
Phase 3: Examination
- November/December Year 2
- The Committee examines the nominations, proposals and requests and makes its decisions.