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Information session for the members of the Intergovernmental Committee

for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

25 October 2010, Room II3 to 6 p.m.

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132 States have ratified the Convention, and 128 of them will be States Parties at the

time of the fifth session in Nairobi in November

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ICHPurposes

of the Convention

Article 1:

• To safeguard the intangible cultural heritage

• To ensure respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned

• To raise awareness at the local, national and international levels of the importance of the intangible cultural heritage, and of ensuring mutual appreciation thereof

• To provide for international cooperation and assistance

ICH

ICH… how can those purposes

be achieved at national level?

• Identify and safeguard ICH

• Adopt a general policy

• One or more competent bodies

• Scientific research, education and raising awareness

• Periodic report on measures taken for the ICH present in their territories

• Involve communities, groups and individuals (Article 15)

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• List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding (Article 17)

• Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (Article 16)

• Programmes, projects and activities that best reflect the objectives of the Convention (Article 18)

• International assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund (Articles 19-28)

… and at international level?

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ICHOrgans of the Convention

The Convention establishes three statutory organs:

General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention

Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Secretariat

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ICHThe General Assembly

The sovereign body of the Convention

Composed of all States having ratified the Convention

Establishes general policies, adopts Operational Directives

Accredits NGOs to provide services to the Committee

Approves biennial budget (Plan for the use of the resources of the Fund)

Elects Committee Members

Meets biennially, in June of even-numbered years

ICH

ICHIntergovernmental Committee

24 States Members, elected by General Assembly respecting principle of equitable geographic representation

States Members choose as their representatives persons qualified in the various fields of the ICH

Responsible for ongoing implementation of the Convention’s mechanisms for international cooperation

Meets annually in November

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ICHThe UNESCO Secretariat

Assists the General Assembly and Committee in their work

Prepares the working documents of Assembly and Committee

Draws up draft agenda of their meetings

Ensures the implementation of their decisions

With Regular Programme, Complementary Additional Programme and Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund:

Serves all Member States of UNESCO

Promotes ratification of the Convention

Global strategy of strengthening capacities of Member States

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ICHOperational Directives

Requested by General Assembly, prepared and submitted by Committee, adopted by General Assembly

First Directives adopted in June 2008

Current Directives adopted in June 2010

Govern all aspects of the implementation of the Convention at the international level

Also provide guidance to States Parties for implementation at the national level

ICH

ICHCommittee 2010-2012

Group I Group IVCyprus 2008-2012 China 2010-2014Italy 2008-2012 Indonesia 2010-2014Spain 2010-2014 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 2010-2012

Japan 2010-2014Group II Republic of Korea 2008-2012Albania 2010-2014Azerbaijan 2010-2014 Group V(a)Croatia 2008-2012 Burkina Faso 2010-2014Czech Republic 2010-2014 Kenya 2008-2012

Madagascar 2010-2014Group III Niger 2008-2012Cuba 2008-2012Grenada 2010-2014 Group V(b)Nicaragua 2010-2014 Jordan 2008-2012Paraguay 2008-2012 Morocco 2010-2014Venezuela (Bolivarian Oman 2008-2012Republic of) 2008-2012

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ICHFunctions of the Committee

Promotes the objectives of the Convention

Prepares the Operational Directives for the implementation of the Convention

Uses the Fund for international cooperation

Inscribes on the three Lists of the Convention

Recommends accreditation of NGOs

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ICHMeetings of the Committee

The Committee meets at least once a year in ordinary session

The Committee shall meet in extraordinary session at the request of at least two-thirds of the States

Since 2006, the Committee met in four ordinary sessions and three extraordinary sessions

Meetings open to observers from States Parties, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, etc.

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ICHWorking methods of the

Committee

Governed by Rules of Procedure of the Committee, adopted in November 2006, amended in February and November 2008

Work of Committee facilitated by its Bureau

Committee may establish ad hoc consultative bodies, subsidiary bodies or working groups

Committee meetings are public except under specific circumstances

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ICHBureau of the Committee

Chairperson and Rapporteur (chosen in personal capacity)

Four Vice-Chairpersons (States Members)

Selected in conformity with the principle of equitable geographical representation

Coordinates the work of the Committee

Fix the date, times and order of business of meetings

Other tasks assigned by Operational Directives or delegated by Committee (IA up to 25,000, prep. ass.)

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ICHAgenda of sessions of the

Committee

Ordinary sessions: all questions the Committee has decided to inscribe at

its previous session, all questions proposed by States Members of the

Committee all questions proposed by States Parties and the

Director-General

Extraordinary sessions: only those questions for which the session has been

convened

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ICHOrder of debate within the

Committee

Only speakers recognized by Chairperson General debate

– Priority to Committee Members, then States Parties– Chair may recognize States non party, IGOs, NGOs, etc. if time

allows

Adoption of decisions– Only Committee Members may intervene

State may not advocate inclusion on the lists of an element nominated by that State or endorse its own request for international assistance

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ICHDecision-making by the

Committee

Each State Member of the Committee has one vote in the Committee

Decisions usually by consensus, rarely by hand and more rarely by roll call

Decisions are taken by a simple majority (13 votes)

Some decisions require a two-thirds majority (16 votes):– Amendment of the Rules of Procedure– Convening an extraordinary session of the Committee

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ICHBodies created by the

Committee

Consultative Body to examine nominations to Urgent Safeguarding List, proposals to Register of Best Practices, and requests for International Assistance greater than US$25,000

Subsidiary Body to examine nominations to Representative List

Bureau to examine requests for International Assistance up to US$25,000, including preparatory assistance + emergency assistance

Working groups or expert groups, as needed

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ICHConsultative Body

Twelve members, selected by Committee respecting principle of equitable geographic representation:

Six members from accredited NGOs Six experts serving in their personal capacity

Examines nominations to USL, proposals of best practices and requests of international assistance and offers its recommendations to the Committee

First Consultative Body to be established at fifth session in Nairobi

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ICHSubsidiary Body

Six States Members, selected by Committee respecting principle of equitable geographic representation

First Subsidiary Body served from 2008 to 2010; examined 165 nominations in two years

Offers its recommendations to the Committee to inscribe, not to inscribe, or to refer the nomination to submitting State for additional information

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ICHBureau of the

Committee

Six States Members, selected by Committee respecting principle of equitable geographic representation

Evaluates requests for International Assistance up to US$25,000 (including requests for preparatory assistance)

Evaluates emergency requests for International Assistance greater than US$25,000

Receives alerts to possible cases of extreme urgency and may invite State(s) Party(ies) concerned to submit a USL nomination

Approves specific activities under ‘other functions of the Committee’, within ICH Fund budget

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ICHNominations, examinations

and evaluations

States Parties, and only States Parties, may submit nominations, proposals or requests

Examination (by Consultative Body or Subsidiary Body, formerly by designated experts) results in a recommendation to the Committee

Evaluation (by Committee or Bureau) is the decision to inscribe the element on the Lists, grant the requested international assistance, or select the proposed programme for promotion as a best practice

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ICHUrgent Safeguarding List

and International Assistance

Fifth session of the Committee will receive recommendations from examiners that were designated to provide their independent examinations under the procedure formerly in place– Examiners not always familiar with Convention– Challenges to ensure shared understandings

Fifth session will establish the first Consultative Body that will carry out future examinations and offer its recommendations to sixth session

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ICHRepresentative List

examination and evaluation

Fifth session will receive recommendations on 47 nominations, of which 46 are positive and one is negative

Important point on 5.COM agenda will be the establishment of the next Subsidiary Body, determination of the nominations it is to examine, and discussion of its methods of work

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ICHWorking documents of the

Committee

Working documents that request a decision by the Committee are the main series of documents prepared by the Secretariat

Information documents (INF) do not require any decision by the Committee but are provided for its information

Documents are numbered according to the points on the preliminary agenda of the Committee, so INF documents correspond to specific points

Nominations, proposals and requests are also available to the Committee through the website

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ICHIntangible Cultural Heritage

website

The website of the Convention is the place to find: Working documents Information documents Nominations, proposals, and requests, as submitted Convention texts in six official languages and more than

25 other languages Operational Directives in six official languages Information on meetings, projects, activities undertaken

by the Intangible Cultural Heritage Section or by Member States, NGOs, etc.

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ICHAgenda of the fifth session

of the Committee

5.COM agenda and timetable