New International Assistance requests approved by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the ICH,
including one request from Kyrgyzstan

As the result of the session, the following projects were approved:

1. ‘Capacity building for community leaders and public managers to safeguard the living heritage of Afro-descendant communities in the SICA region and Cuba’ project is set to last 13 months. The expected outputs include the strengthening of ICH management capacities of officials and community representatives, a mapping of relevant safeguarding initiatives in the region, the establishment of common guidelines for the development of an inventory of Afro-descendants’ in the region, and a virtual platform for the dissemination of the project results in the region, and beyond.

2. ‘Digital journey to intangible cultural heritage of Kyrgyzstan’ project is the second phase of a former project implemented between 2018 and 2020. Initiated by community leaders of the pilgrimage practices, the project’s overall objective is to develop a website about ICH elements, with audiovisual materials and comprehensive information about the 2003 Convention, ICH communities, active stakeholders and safeguarding activities.

3. ‘Field School for capacity-building in safeguarding living heritage of ethnic communities in Thailand’ project is the first IA request from Thailand. It is set to last two years, establishing the ‘Field School for Capacity-Building in Safeguarding Living Heritage of Ethnic Communities’ as a platform for exchange and transmission between the five ethnic groups involved, namely Pgakenyaw Karen, Pwo Karen, Moken, Moklen and Urak Lawoi.

Detailed article at the UNESCO ICH website