ich international heritage beyond borders: safeguarding through international cooperation cécile...

ICH

ICHInternational heritage beyond borders:

safeguarding through international cooperationCécile Duvelle

Secretary, Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Chief, Intangible Cultural Heritage Section

UNESCO

Intangible heritage beyond borders: safeguarding through international cooperation Bangkok, Thailand – 20 and 21 July 2010

ICH

ICHCooperating to safeguard

intangible cultural heritage

The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage:

• Adopted in 2003 • Entered into force in 2006• Became fully operational in 2008 with the

adoption of its Operational Directives

International cooperation in the Convention

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ICHCooperating to safeguard



127 States Parties have ratified the Convention, from most parts of the world

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ICHDefining


The Convention defines intangible cultural heritage as: ‘the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills (…) that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage’


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ICHDefining


The Convention also stresses that ICH:• is transmitted from generation to generation• is continuously evolving • provides communities and groups with a

sense of identity and continuity• for the purposes of the Convention, must be

consistent with international human rights and principle of mutual respect


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Performing artsOral traditions and expressions

The Hudhud Chants of the Ifugao (Philippines)


The Samba de Roda of the Recôncavo of Bahia (Brazil)

Defining intangible cultural heritage

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ICHKnowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe


The Andean Cosmovision of the Kallawaya (Bolivia)


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Traditional craftsmanship

Social practices, rituals and festive events


The Carnival of Binche (Belgium)

The Indonesian Kris (Indonesia)


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ICH• To safeguard the intangible heritage of

humanity• To ensure respect for it• To raise awareness of the importance of

the ICH and ensure mutual appreciation thereof

• To provide for international cooperation and assistance


Objectives of the Convention

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States Parties’ obligations:• To identify and safeguard the ICH on their

territory, in cooperation with communities • To elaborate one or more inventories and

regularly update them• To integrate safeguarding into planning

processes• To submit periodic reports on their efforts

to the Committee

Obligations of States Parties at the national level


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States Parties may nominate elements of the ICH on their territories for inscription:

• On the Urgent Safeguarding List• On the Representative List• Multi-national nominations are encouraged

to be submitted when an element is found on the territory of more than one State Party

Opportunities at the international level


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States Parties may also:• propose national, sub-regional and regional

programmes, projects and activities that best reflect the principles and objectives of the Convention for inscription on the Register of Best Practices



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ICH• States Parties may benefit from

international financial assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund

• When evaluating international assistance requests, the Committee may consider whether they imply cooperation at the bilateral, regional or international levels



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ICH• Communities, groups and individuals enact,

transform and transmit ICH• Only they can decide what is their heritage• It is borne by them, and exists only among

them• Geographical location or distribution of

intangible heritage is thus always about the geographical location of its practitioners

Intangible heritage beyond borders

Communities: at the heart of the Convention

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ICHCountless expressions of intangible heritage are

shared beyond borders, because:

• Borders distinguish States, not communities • Voluntary or forced migrations• Nomadic communities• Constant borrowing and sharing of ICH

among communities


Shared heritage: challenge and opportunity

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ICH• Given that intangible heritage often

straddles borders, how can it be an opportunity for international cooperation, understanding and mutual respect?

• How can we reduce the possibility that intangible heritage will be the subject of competition, misunderstandings or discord among neighbours?



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ICH• How to encourage States not yet party to

the Convention to ratify it?

• How could the experiences of neighbouring States that have already ratified be useful in supporting this process?



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ICH• How to ensure that due attention is paid to

information provided by communities about shared heritage?

• How could the question of shared heritage best be addressed in inventorying?

• How to facilitate the sharing of information on inventory-making on a regional and sub-regional levels?



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ICH• How could States be encouraged to

cooperate concerning shared heritage?

• How to ensure that considerations relating to antiquity, origin or authenticity are not introduced when identifying intangible heritage?



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ICH• What incentives might facilitate

multinational nomination files or proposals?

• How can category 2 centres in Asia and the Pacific region facilitate regional cooperation on shared intangible heritage?



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Intangible Cultural HeritageUNESCO

1, rue Miollis75732 Paris Cedex 15

France

Cécile Duvelle: [email protected]

www.unesco.org/culture/ich

Intangible Cultural HeritageUNESCO

1, rue Miollis75732 Paris Cedex 15

France

Cécile Duvelle: [email protected]

www.unesco.org/culture/ich

Photographic Credits: The Hudhud Chants of the Ifugao © Renato S. Rastrollo / NCCA-ICH /UNESCO; The Samba de Roda of the Recôncavo of Bahia © Luiz Santoz / UNESCO; The Andean Cosmovision of the Kallawaya © Vice Ministerio de Cultura; The Indonesian Kris © Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia

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