DECISIONS 13 COM

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ITH/18/13.COM/Decisions Port Louis, 20 December 2018 Original: English/French

CONVENTION FOR THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR THE

SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE

Thirteenth session

Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius 26 November to 1 December 2018

DECISIONS

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DECISION 13.COM 2 The Committee,

1. Having examined document ITH/18/13.COM/2 Rev. ,

2. Adopts the agenda of its thirteenth session (Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius, 26 November to 1 December 2018) as follows:

Agenda 1. Opening

2. Adoption of the agenda 3. Observers

4. Adoption of the summary records of the twelfth session of the Committee 5. Report by the Secretariat on its activities

6. Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund: voluntary supplementary contributions and other issues

7. Reports of States Parties

a. Examination of the reports of States Parties on the implementation of the Convention and on the current status of elements inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

b. Examination of the reports of States Parties on the current status of elements inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

c. Reports of States Parties on the use of International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund

8. Reform of the periodic reporting mechanism

9. Issues concerning the follow-up of inscribed elements on the Lists of the Convention 10. Report of the Evaluation Body on its work in 2018

a. Examination of nominations for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

b. Examination of nominations for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

c. Examination of proposals to the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices d. Examination of requests for International Assistance

11. Intangible cultural heritage in emergencies

12. Multiple submissions of International Assistance requests

13. Reflection on the participation of NGOs in the implementation of the Convention 14. Establishment of the Evaluation Body for the 2019 cycle

15. Number of files submitted for the 2018 and 2019 cycles and number of files that can be treated in the 2020 and 2021 cycles

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16. Report of the informal ad hoc open-ended working group

17. Follow-up on the implementation of the relevant recommendations of the Open-Ended Working Group on the Governance, Procedures and Working Methods of the Governing Bodies of UNESCO

18. Date and venue of the fourteenth session of the Committee

19. Election of the members of the Bureau of the fourteenth session of the Committee 20. Other business

21. Adoption of the list of decisions 22. Closure

1. Having examined document ITH/1 8 /13.COM/3 ,

3. Recalling Rules 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3 of the Rules of Procedure of the Intergovernmental Committee,

4. Further recalling its Decisions 10.COM 3 , 11.COM 3 and 12.COM 3 ,

5. Takes note of the observers authorized to participate at its thirteenth session in conformity with its above-mentioned decisions:

- the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO);

- the International Centre for Research and Documentation on African Traditions and Languages (CERDOTOLA);

- the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation (CIC);

- the African Trade Centre (ATC);

6. Authorizes the participation, as an observer, in the fourteenth session of the Committee, of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU).

1. Having examined document ITH/18/13.COM/4,

2. Adopts the summary records of the Committee’s twelfth session contained in this document.

1. Having examined document ITH/18/13.COM/5 Rev. as well as documents ITH/18/13.COM/INF.5.1, ITH/18/13.COM/INF.5.2 and ITH/18/13.COM/INF.5.3,

7. Welcomes the three States – Kiribati, Singapore and the Solomon Islands – that ratified the Convention during the reporting period;

8. Commends the Secretariat for the support provided for the sound governance of the Convention and for the management of the Convention’s mechanisms, and notes with satisfaction the efforts made by the Secretariat to roll out the overall results framework for the

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Convention and operationalize the International Assistance portfolio of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund;

9. Welcomes the progress made in enhancing national capacities to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, including by strengthening the global facilitators’ network, thanks the category 2 centres for their collaboration, and encourages States Parties, as a next step, to ensure the sustainability of the programme and to support the organization of national networks of trainers within their countries;

10. Takes note of the persisting shortage of facilitators in some regions, and the need for further training in new thematic areas resulting from constantly evolving capacity-building needs, and therefore calls on States Parties to host regional training workshops for facilitators, co- organized with the Secretariat, to effectively strengthen and expand the regional network chapters;

11. Expresses concern regarding the continued decline in extra-budgetary support for the implementation of the capacity-building programme and calls on States Parties to provide further resources, particularly in the form of voluntary supplementary contributions to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for operational projects;

12. Also welcomes the progress made in advancing the implementation of the new funding priority as approved at the last session of the Committee concerning the safeguarding and transmission of intangible cultural heritage through formal and non-formal education, and underlines its importance for the attainment of SDG 4.7;

13. Further takes note of the activities undertaken in the area of outreach and communication and encourages the Secretariat to continue its efforts in this regard;

14. Also takes note of the current use of the International Assistance mechanism and the global capacity-building programme in relation to elements inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and encourages States Parties to make full use of these mechanisms and programmes for the elements of their living heritage that are in need of urgent safeguarding;

15. Appreciates the initiative ‘Dive into Intangible Cultural Heritage’, thanks the Government of the Netherlands for its financial support to the initiative, which made its public release during this session possible, and invites the Secretariat to further develop it;

16. Notes the initiative on intangible cultural heritage in urban contexts, thanks for the generous contribution from the private sector of the People’s Republic of China towards this area and invites the Secretariat to pursue its efforts in this regard;

17. Further notes the progress made by the Secretariat towards developing alternate, lighter ways of sharing safeguarding experiences and requests that the Secretariat present the results of the analysis of the online survey at the fourteenth session of the Committee;

18. Reiterates its call to States Parties to continue supporting the implementation of the Convention, notably through voluntary supplementary contributions to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for operational and thematic projects and to the sub-fund for enhancing the human resources of the Secretariat.

19. Recalling Article 25.5 of the Convention and Chapter II of the Operational Directives,

20. Further recalling Decisions 8.COM 12 , 9.COM 7 , 10.COM 9 , 11.COM 6 , 12.COM 6 and 12.COM 14,

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21. Commends Japan for its generous offer of a voluntary supplementary contribution to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund to support the global reflection on the listing mechanisms of the 2003 Convention, notably to organize a preliminary meeting of experts in 2019 and support the convening of a meeting of the open-ended intergovernmental working group (provisionally in 2021);

22. Accepts with gratitude the generous contribution of Japan, approves its specific purpose and requests that the Secretariat ensure its proper planning and implementation taking into account the debates at the thirteenth session of the Committee;

23. Takes note that no supplementary voluntary contributions to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund have yet been received in line with the two funding priorities approved for the period 2018–2021, and expresses its concern in this regard;

24. Thanks all the contributors that have generously supported the Convention and its Secretariat since its last session, namely Belgium (Flanders), the People’s Republic of China, Finland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Montenegro and Singapore;

25. Encourages other contributors to consider the possibility of supporting the Convention, in particular within the scope of the two funding priorities set for the period 2018–2021 and the sub-fund for enhancing the human resources of the Secretariat;

26. Also takes note of Executive Board Document 204 EX/5 Part II.E on ‘Cost recovery policy:

Revised Proposal for a differential rate policy for Management Cost Rates’ and its related decision;

27. Requests that the Secretariat report, at its fourteenth session, on the progress made in the implementation of any voluntary supplementary contributions it may have received since the thirteenth session.

DECISION 13.COM 7.a The Committee,

1. Having examined document ITH/18/13.COM/7.a Rev. ,

28. Recalling Articles 7, 29 and 30 of the Convention concerning reports by States Parties and Chapter V of the Operational Directives, as well as its Decisions 12.COM 8.b and 12.COM 10 ,

29. Expresses its sincere appreciation to the thirty-two States Parties that duly submitted their periodic reports for the 2018 reporting cycle;

30. Recalls that due to the ongoing reform of the periodic reporting mechanism, this is the last reporting cycle under the system that has existed so far and underlines that the 2018 and 2019 deadlines for submitting a report on the implementation of the Convention have been suspended to facilitate the transition towards a regional cycle of reporting;

31. Welcomes the overview and summaries of the 2018 reports as presented in the annex of document ITH/18/13.COM/7.a and takes note of the different approaches and methodologies adopted by States Parties to implement the 2003 Convention and safeguard their intangible cultural heritage, including their elements inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;

32. Appreciates the cumulative focus on measures taken by States Parties to raise awareness of the importance of intangible cultural heritage included in the Overview and encourages States Parties to disseminate at all levels the lessons learned and current practices related to the implementation of the Convention with regard to this as well as other aspects covered by the Overview;

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33. Decides to submit to the eighth session of the General Assembly the ‘Overview and summaries of the 2018 reports of States Parties on the implementation of the Convention and on the current status of elements inscribed on the Representative List’.

DECISION 13.COM 7.b The Committee,

1. Having examined document ITH/1 8 /13.COM/7.b ,

2. Recalling Articles 7, 29 and 30 of the Convention concerning reports by States Parties, and Chapter V of the Operational Directives,

3. Thanks the States Parties that submitted their reports on time and invites the State Party that has not yet submitted its expected reports to duly do so at the earliest opportunity, and in any case no later than 15 December 2018 in order for the Committee to examine them at its fourteenth session in 2019;

4. Takes note that the majority of the reports expected for the current cycle have been submitted, testifying to the continued attention paid by the States Parties concerned to the viability and safeguarding of elements inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

5. Acknowledges that this is the second cycle of reporting for nine elements inscribed in 2009 and underlines the importance of successive reports being consistent with the reports on the same element submitted in previous cycles, to take into account the recommendations of the Committee included in its previous decisions;

6. Encourages States Parties that benefitted from International Assistance under the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund for safeguarding specific elements to report on it and invites those States in need of financial resources to implement their safeguarding plans for inscribed elements to request for International Assistance from the Fund;

7. Recalls the possibility for States Parties to report online on the status of elements inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and thanks Latvia and Viet Nam, who volunteered to test the online tool for the current cycle;

8. While welcoming the achievements described by the States Parties concerned, further encourages them to include more information in their future reports on the challenges and difficulties encountered during the implementation of safeguarding plans, as well as to involve stakeholders in fields other than culture to address broader threats and to seek joint efforts in strengthening the viability of inscribed elements;

9. Emphasizes the primary role of the communities, groups and individuals concerned during all stages of the safeguarding, including the reporting stage, and invites States Parties to report in full in the future on their involvement in the safeguarding of their respective elements;

10. Also encourages reporting States to give particular attention in their future reports to gender roles and gender responsibilities in intangible cultural heritage elements as well as to specific measures adopted to safeguard them;

11. Further underlines the importance of including updated and accurate safeguarding plans which represent a key monitoring tool for the Committee to assess the safeguarding efforts of States with regard to elements whose viability is at risk;

12. Thanks the Government of Japan for the generous voluntary supplementary contribution to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund to organize a preliminary meeting of experts and support the convening of an open-ended intergovernmental working group which will allow a reflection, inter alia, on the procedures for the removal of an element from a List and the transfer of an element from one List to the other to take place;

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13. Invites States Parties to ensure that, in the elaboration of periodic reports containing references to war or conflict or specific historical events, the report should be elaborated with utmost care, in order to avoid provoking misunderstanding among communities in any way, with a view to encouraging dialogue and mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals, and to avoid any language inconsistent with the UN Charter as well as the 2003 Convention, and encourages them to meticulously pursue this principle in their future work;

34. Decides to submit to the General Assembly at its eighth session a summary of the reports of States Parties on the current status of elements inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding examined during the current session.

DECISION 13.COM 7.b.1 The Committee,

1. Having examined document ITH/18/13.COM/7.b,

2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision 8.COM 7.a.1 ,

3. Expresses its thanks to Azerbaijan for submitting, on time, its first report on the status of the element ‘Chovqan, a traditional Karabakh horse-riding game in the Republic of Azerbaijan’, inscribed in 2013 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

4. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Azerbaijan to safeguard the element in various regions of the country, especially by enhancing transmission processes and creating favorable conditions in that regard, raising awareness in society, and developing a broader policy framework relating intangible cultural heritage to the policies of agriculture, physical education and youth, as well as taking heed of the safety of the players and animals during the game;

5. Invites the State Party to continue the practice of basing updates to the safeguarding measures on the thorough participatory monitoring and assessment of the measures implemented and to pursue, in cooperation with the communities concerned, the initiatives envisaged to integrate the element into educational programmes;

6. Encourages the State Party to achieve a broader involvement of the communities concerned in the implementation, as well as preparation, of future safeguarding measures, and to strive to achieve a balance between centrally-driven measures dependent on governmental support and diverse community-led safeguarding activities;

7. Requests that the Secretariat inform the State Party at least nine months prior to the deadline of 15 December 2021 about the required submission of its next report on the status of this element.

2. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 4.COM 14.01 , 6.COM 11 and 9.COM 5.b.1 ,

3. Expresses its thanks to Belarus for submitting, on time, its third report on the status of the element ‘Rite of the Kalyady Tsars (Christmas Tsars)’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

4. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Belarus to safeguard the element and, in particular, to place community empowerment and capacity building at the center of safeguarding measures, to support transmission, involve local educational institutions and cultural centres in the safeguarding of the element and attract new young practitioners to the Rite of the Kalyady Tsars;

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5. Invites the State Party to pursue its efforts to make the practice relevant in the local context, for example by involving youth in inventorying and documentation processes, and to support the expressed wish of the community to exchange safeguarding experiences with other communities in different countries;

6. Further invites the State Party to share, in the next report on the status of the element, its experience with the intended adoption and future application of the code of ethics on the safeguarding of the Rite of the Kalyady Tsars;

7. Encourages the State Party to continue the regular monitoring of the element, paying special attention to opportunities and possible threats related to the further development of tourism;

9. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 6.COM 8.3 and 8.COM 6.b ,

10. Expresses its thanks to Brazil for submitting its second report on the status of the element

‘Yaokwa, the Eawene Nawe people’s ritual for the maintenance of social and cosmic order’, inscribed in 2011 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

11. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Brazil to safeguard the element, in particular the enhanced communication with Enawene Nawe community members and the adjusted safeguarding plan to concentrate on cultural aspects and knowledge transmission;

12. Invites the State Party to continue its safeguarding efforts by maintaining dialogue with community members, training indigenous researchers within the community and strengthening the capacities of the Enawene Nawe Indigenous Association, favoring exchange between indigenous peoples, raising public awareness on the cultural diversity of the country’s indigenous populations and continuing to organize partnerships among relevant public institutions;

13. Encourages the State Party to pay particular attention to continued community participation and its contribution to reflecting upon the present challenges connected with the transmission of the Yaokwa ritual, and to ensure that the resources needed for a long-term safeguarding plan are identified;

15. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 4.COM 14.05 and 11.COM 9.b.1 ,

16. Expresses its thanks to France for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Cantu in paghjella, a secular and liturgical oral tradition of Corsica’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

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17. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by France to safeguard the element, and in particular to enhance its transmission to the younger generation, as well as to proceed with its documentation and inventorying, ensuring the necessary support from national and regional authorities;

18. Invites the State Party to pursue the transmission of the element in local schools, enhancing a positive association between mastering paghjella and learning the Corsican language, to pay attention to safeguarding the diversity of its repertoire, particularly regarding the threats caused by its use for commercial and tourism purposes, and to support the community’s interest in exchanging with practitioners of other forms of polyphonic singing in the region;

19. Notes the State Party’s plan to create a sound library, with a call for contributions within the communities to collect archives and testimonies held by families;

20. Encourages the State Party to enhance institutionalized learning and traditional modes of transmission and broaden the promotion and awareness-raising measures;

22. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 8.COM 7.a.5 , 10.COM 6.b.2 and 10.COM 11 ,

23. Expresses its thanks to Guatemala for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Nan Pa’ch ceremony’, inscribed in 2013 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

24. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Guatemala to safeguard the element, especially through the attention paid to the role of education in the transmission processes, inventorying activities and continuous municipal support for safeguarding the element;

25. Notes that local capacities for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage were reinforced thanks to the support of the earmarked contribution from the Government of Azerbaijan to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund;

26. Invites the State Party to enhance the transmission of the Maya-Mum language, as a significant component of the Nan Pa’ch ceremony, and to contribute to building consensus among various community groups and organizations, respecting their distinct roles in the transmission of the ceremony;

27. Further invites the State Party to take into account the present social and cultural functions of the element when assessing the viability of the element and developing future safeguarding measures, as well as to develop a medium- and long-term safeguarding plan for the Nan Pa’ch ceremony;

28. Encourages the State Party to continue its safeguarding efforts and to consider International Assistance as a possible source of funding to this end, in particular regarding the preparation of educational materials;

29. Recalls that inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding does not imply exclusivity or intellectual property, which would prevent other communities from practising the nominated element;

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31. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 4.COM 14.06 and 9.COM 5.b.2,

32. Expresses its thanks to Kenya for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Traditions and practices associated to the Kayas in the sacred forests of the Mijikenda’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

33. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Kenya to safeguard the element, in particular by finding community-driven solutions for sustained and integral development, respecting relations between the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, nature conservation, preservation of biodiversity, and income generating initiatives;

34. Notes that safeguarding activities were undertaken with the support of International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, as reported in Document ITH/16/11.COM/9.c;

35. Invites the State Party to ensure the continuity of mechanisms for community consultation on the monitoring, evaluation and innovation of the safeguarding measures, and to seek the necessary measures to meet the community’s need for financial assistance;

36. Encourages the State Party to pursue its commitment to safeguarding the element through the enactment of relevant legislative measures, with due respect for the customary practices of the community;

38. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision 7.COM 8.5 ,

39. Expresses its thanks to Kyrgyzstan for submitting its first report on the status of the element

‘Ala-kiyiz and Shyrdak, art of Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets’, inscribed in 2012 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

40. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Kyrgyzstan to safeguard the element, in particular through policy development and reassuring the increased viability of the element, which is demonstrated by its growing number of practitioners, diversified forms of knowledge transmission, the spread of its practice from rural to urban areas and broader public awareness;

41. Invites the State Party to continue its efforts to enhance traditional wool processing, and to support safeguarding processes at the level of both national and local governments, particularly by maintaining and developing community-based training activities as well as practising centers and vocational schools, and also to consider its integration into school curricula and other forms of education;

42. Encourages the State Party to consider giving priority to continuous investment in training and educational activities when allocating funding to the updated safeguarding plan, and to monitor, together with community organizations, the possible negative effects linked with the

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over-commercialization and development of cultural industries related to the element, ensuring that the practitioners are the primary beneficiaries of the safeguarding measures;

45. Expresses its thanks to Latvia for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Suiti cultural space’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

46. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Latvia to safeguard the element and, in particular, to support its transmission and the successful integration of suiti traditions into formal and non-formal education;

47. Invites the State Party to continue giving the suiti community and its associations a central role in planning and implementing the safeguarding initiatives, in particular those with a medium- to long-term outlook;

48. Encourages the State Party to consolidate its commitment to safeguarding the element by enhancing related research and documentation, raising awareness of its importance as well as developing entrepreneurship and creative industries, bearing in mind the possible negative impacts that over-commercialization could have on the social and cultural functions and meanings of the element;

49. Further invites the State Party to seek new patterns to diversify the fundraising channels in order to implement additional safeguarding measures and to explore new methods for the promotion of the element so as to ensure greater efficiency in the use of the funds and the sustainability of the safeguarding efforts;

52. Expresses its thanks to Mali for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Sanké mon, collective fishing rite of the Sanké’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

53. Takes note of the efforts undertaken by Mali to safeguard the element, in particular by ensuring a participative approach throughout the implementation of the safeguarding plan and its updating, developing capacity-building activities for community members and taking into consideration concerns linked with nature conservation and management issues related to the rite;

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54. Notes that safeguarding activities were undertaken with the support of International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, as reported in Document ITH/17/12.COM/8.a;

55. Invites the State Party to continue addressing the threats caused by urbanization, to monitor the possible impact of the security situation in the region on the practice of the element and its tradition bearers, and to pay due attention to monitoring the impact of tourism on the viability of the element, in particular regarding its social and cultural functions in the community;

56. Encourages the State Party to continue developing safeguarding approaches and measures in response to present risks and viability concerns, and to pursue its efforts in developing a long-term approach for the sustainability of the element;

58. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision 6.COM 8.13 ,

59. Expresses its thanks to Mauritania for submitting its first report on the status of the element

‘Moorish epic T’heydinn’, inscribed in 2011 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

60. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Mauritania to safeguard this element, in particular by adopting measures for its transmission, such as the training of young griots, and raising public awareness about the Moorish epic T’heydinn through documentation, publication and dissemination initiatives;

61. Invites the State Party to continue its efforts relating to the transmission of the Moorish epic T’heydinn, including in relation to its diverging repertoires, and to pursue the provision of training for young people interested, consider the contemporary social functions and cultural meanings of the element in society and update the safeguarding activities accordingly;

62. Further invites the State Party to involve a broader community in developing the safeguarding measures, beyond the griot families and associations, as well as to monitor the impact of the safeguarding activities on a regular basis;

65. Expresses its thanks to Mongolia for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Mongol Tuuli, Mongolian epic’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

66. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Mongolia to safeguard the element, in particular by providing resources for apprenticeship training, thus enhancing the transmission

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of the Mongolian epic, advancing research on its practice and implementing diverse awareness-raising activities;

67. Notes that the safeguarding activities were undertaken with the support of International Assistance through the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, which is reported in Document ITH/16/11.COM/9.c;

68. Invites the State Party to continue paying particular attention to providing assistance with the safeguarding of those forms of epic singing that are most threatened, and to revitalizing performances in traditional settings, places and conditions of Mongolian epic singing;

69. Further invites the State Party to respect the freedom of choice of the bearers of the element to decide upon the transmission of their respective knowledge and skills, and to reflect in its next report on the status of this element within the community at large, including those who make up the audience of Mongolian epic performances;

70. Encourages the State Party to develop an updated safeguarding plan specifically aimed at safeguarding the element, with the participation of the communities, groups and individuals concerned and relevant non-governmental organizations, and to provide this plan in its next report on the status of this element;

73. Expresses its thanks to Mongolia for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Mongol Biyelgee, Mongolian traditional folk dance’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

74. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Mongolia to safeguard the element, especially through the numerous activities dedicated to its transmission, the attention paid to the connections between research, training and contemporary artistic expressions, as well as the adoption of a legal framework to ensure public funding for safeguarding activities;

75. Welcomes the role of associations in the transmission of Biyelgee and partnerships established with their active involvement and invites the State Party to sustain such developments of community participation, especially for attracting the interest of younger generations;

76. Further invites the State Party to pursue its support for the transmission of the element through formal and non-formal education, paying particular attention to the associated cultural meanings, settings and uses of the Biyelgee performance, to the role of improvisation in the dance, as well as to related practices, including the making and wearing of costumes and accessories, playing music and making musical instruments;

77. Encourages the State Party to develop an updated safeguarding plan, including a detailed timetable and estimated budget, specifically aimed at safeguarding the element, with the participation of the communities, groups and individuals concerned and relevant non- governmental organizations, and to provide this plan in its next report on the status of this element;

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80. Expresses its thanks to Mongolia for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Traditional music of the Tsuur’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

81. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Mongolia to safeguard the element, in particular through its commitment to creating a favorable social environment for the transmission of the element, the attention paid to the support necessary for its bearers, and the adoption of a legal framework for inventorying and ensuring public funding for safeguarding activities;

82. Invites the State Party to continue enhancing the transmission of the traditional music of the Tsuur, and especially to consider its present social functions and cultural meanings, in order to place the opinions of tradition bearers at the center of the safeguarding efforts and to find a balance between strengthening traditional modes of transmission, playing Tsuur in traditional contexts and its contemporary modes of practice and development;

83. Further invites the State Party to pay particular attention to the transmission of the element in the Uriankhai ethnic group and to assist safeguarding initiatives, especially in the Altai Region, respecting regional cultural diversity, the freedom of the bearers of the element to decide upon the transmission of their respective knowledge and skills, as well as to pay due attention to the transmission of the associated practices related to the element (such as the making of the Tsuur musical instruments), and to reflect these issues in its next report on the status of the element;

84. Encourages the State Party to develop an updated safeguarding plan specifically aimed at safeguarding the element, with the participation of the communities, groups, individuals concerned and relevant non-governmental organizations, and to provide this plan in its next report on the status of the element;

86. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decision 8.COM 7.a.9 ,

87. Expresses its thanks to Mongolia for submitting, on time, its first report on the status of the element ‘Mongolian calligraphy’, inscribed in 2013 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

88. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Mongolia to safeguard the element, in particular by enhancing its transmission through formal and non-formal education at various levels and for different generations, raising awareness among the general public in Mongolia,

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and establishing a policy and legislative framework for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage;

89. Invites the State Party to continue to develop governmental and municipal policies in the field of culture, improve the planning and financing associated with safeguarding activities, to pursue close cooperation between governmental institutions and non-governmental organizations, as well as individual practitioners, to improve safeguarding measures in response to the present situation as regards viability, paying due attention to the transmission of diverse skills and practices related to the element;

90. Encourages the State Party to ensure broader community representation in decision-making on safeguarding measures and their updating, to pay due attention to the social functions and cultural meanings of the element in society and their possible changes, and to reflect these issues in its next report on the status of this element;

92. Recalling Chapter V of the Operational Directives and its Decisions 8.COM 7.a.12 and 10.COM 6.b.3 ,

93. Expresses its thanks to Uganda for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Empaako tradition of the Batooro, Banyoro, Batuku, Batagwenda and Banyabindi of western Uganda’, inscribed in 2013 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

94. Takes note of the continued efforts undertaken by Uganda to safeguard the element and, in particular, to ensure the participation of communities in the regular monitoring of the safeguarding process, to facilitate the implementation of safeguarding measures through the involvement of a non-governmental organization, to integrate the cultural meaning of the Empaako naming system into programmes on peace building and environmental sustainability, and to initiate the comprehensive participatory documentation of the Empaako tradition;

95. Invites the State Party to continue raising awareness in society about the meaning of the element, to enhance mutual respect among various communities, groups and individuals, and to improve the transmission of the Runyoro Rutooro language, as a significant component of the Empaako tradition;

96. Encourages the State Party to pursue the development of an online repository of documentation as a source of dissemination and engagement, with due attention to its intended audiences and ensuring its sustainable accessibility, regular use and updating;

97. Further takes note of the ongoing International Assistance granted in 2017 for community- based self-documentation and revitalization of ceremonies and practices associated with the Empaako naming system in Uganda and encourages the State Party to coordinate that action with the ongoing measures being undertaken in relation to the Empaako tradition;

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100. Expresses its thanks to Viet Nam for submitting, on time, its second report on the status of the element ‘Ca trù singing’, inscribed in 2009 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

101. Welcomes the efforts undertaken by Viet Nam to respond to the concerns raised by the Committee at the time of examining its previous report on the status of this element, in particular regarding the inclusion of Ca trù in schools, and the increased involvement of Ca trù clubs in the planning and implementation of the safeguarding activities;

102. Takes note of the continued efforts of the State Party to safeguard the element, in particular by supporting various forms of its transmission, including regular national, regional and local Ca trù events, developing policy measures for financial assistance for its practitioners, and implementing the regular inventorying, research and monitoring of the element;

103. Notes of the changing gender roles in the Ca trù practice at present;

104. Invites the State Party to ensure its continuous support for encouraging experienced Ca trù practitioners to transmit their knowledge and skills, in particular to younger generations, and for strengthening the operations of the growing number of Ca trù clubs;

105. Encourages the State Party to sustain the diverse range of genres, repertoire and techniques of the element while developing and implementing further safeguarding measures, and to pay due attention to the transmission of various components of the Ca trù performance and its associated practices, which includes dancing, writing lyrics and making musical instruments;

DECISION 13.COM 7.c The Committee,

1. Having examined document ITH/18/13.COM/7.c, 35. Recalling Article 24.3 of the Convention,

36. Expresses its satisfaction that countries from Electoral Group V(a) continue to be the main beneficiaries of International Assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund in line with Global Priority Africa, congratulates the States that have been granted International Assistance for the first time and encourages States that have not benefitted from the Fund to consider this mechanism of assistance in their efforts to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage present in their territory;

37. Thanks the beneficiary States for their timely submission of final or progress reports for projects benefitting from International Assistance under the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund, and at the same time requests that those beneficiary States with projects whose implementation has been experiencing delays take corrective measures to ensure the timely implementation of the projects and to respect their reporting obligations;

38. Appreciates the broadened scope of activities and themes of the projects funded by the Fund as well as the impact that the assistance has had on the beneficiary States for building their

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safeguarding capacities and further encourages them to continue to ensure the sustainability and enhancement of the results of the projects;

39. Notes with satisfaction the ongoing support for emergency International Assistance provided through the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and also encourages ongoing projects in Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire and Niger to continue their efforts to integrate peace and cohesion among communities through intangible cultural heritage;

40. Expresses its support for the establishment of the modality for the provision of services, as provided by Article 21 (a) to (f) and as an alternative modality to the mere provision of financial grants;

41. Further requests that the Secretariat ensure, whenever possible, that contracts established with beneficiary States provide for the submission of final or progress reports, as appropriate, by 30 June so that it may take note of the use made of the assistance provided in a timely manner and invites current and future beneficiary States to respect the deadlines for the submission of reports as established under their respective contracts;

42. Welcomes the approval by the seventh session of the General Assembly of the proposal for the creation of a dedicated team to operationalize the implementation of the International Assistance mechanism and further expresses its satisfaction that the human capacities of the Secretariat will be reinforced in order to provide more substantive support to beneficiary States in the implementation of projects and their effective monitoring.

1. Having examined document ITH/18/13.COM/8, 43. Recalling Articles 7(f), 29 and 30 of the Convention,

44. Further recalling Decision 12.COM 10 as well as Resolution 7.GA 10 ,

45. Taking note of the debates at its twelfth session as well as those during the seventh session of the General Assembly on the revisions of the Operational Directives and the associated reform of the periodic reporting to move towards a regional cycle of reporting,

46. Welcomes the progress made in the reform of the periodic reporting mechanism;

47. Expresses its gratitude to the government of the Republic of Korea for its contribution to supporting the reform of the periodic reporting mechanism;

48. Encourages the Secretariat to take into account, during the planning of the capacity-building activities, the debates of the present session which highlighted the needs of States, by giving priority to the States who expressed such requests in this field;

49. Requests that the Secretariat update the Committee on the reform of the periodic reporting mechanism at its fourteenth session;

50. Decides to follow a reporting structure based on the definition of regions with a view to the execution of regional activities, as defined in Chapter I of the UNESCO Basic Texts;

51. Also decides to adopt the following calendar for the regional cycle of reporting under the 2003 Convention:

i. 2020: Latin America and the Caribbean ii. 2021: Europe

iii. 2022: Arab States iv. 2023: Africa

v. 2024: Asia and the Pacific

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vi. 2025: Reflection year

52. Takes note that States Parties from the Latin America and the Caribbean will submit their periodic reports on the implementation of the 2003 Convention and on the status of elements inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by 15 December 2020 for examination by the Committee at its sixteenth session in 2021.

53. Recalling Article 7 of the Convention, Chapter V of the Operational Directives concerning periodic reporting and Decision 7.COM 15 concerning the guidelines for the treatment of correspondence from the public or other concerned parties with regard to nominations, 54. Further recalling the Ethical Principles for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, 55. Takes note of the increasing number of cases that are brought to the attention of the

Secretariat regarding the changing status of elements inscribed on the Lists of the Convention;

56. Recognizes the need to reflect on the follow-up of inscribed elements and on ways for concerned communities, groups and, where applicable, individuals, and other stakeholders to participate in the monitoring of inscribed elements;

57. Acknowledges the link between the follow-up of inscribed elements and the ongoing reflection on the nature and purposes of the Lists of the Convention, recalls its Decision 12.COM 14 to convene an open-ended intergovernmental working group on these topics and welcomes the generous voluntary supplementary contribution of the Government of Japan to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund to organize a preliminary meeting of experts and support the convening of the above-mentioned open-ended intergovernmental working group;

58. Decides to include a reflection on the establishment of a follow-up mechanism for inscribed elements in the mandate of the above-mentioned preliminary meeting of experts and the open-ended intergovernmental working group.

1. Recalling Chapter I of the Operational Directives,

2. Having examined documents ITH/18/13.COM/10, ITH/18/13.COM/10.a, ITH/18/13.COM/10.b+Add.2, ITH/18/13.COM/10.c+Add. and ITH/18/13.COM/10.d, as well as the files submitted by the respective States Parties,

3. Expresses its satisfaction with the work of the Evaluation Body, thanks its members for the quality of the present report and appreciates the assistance of the Secretariat to facilitate the work of the Evaluation Body;

4. Takes note of the continuing trend to prioritize nominations to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the expense of the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, and encourages States Parties to give special attention to these two mechanisms of the Convention;

5. Congratulates in particular those submitting States having presented nominations for the first time;

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6. Appreciates the observations made by the Evaluation Body concerning its work for the 2018 cycle, notes that many of the issues raised in its previous decisions persist in the 2018 cycle, as summarized in paragraphs 66 and 67 of Document ITH/18/13.COM/10, and invites States Parties to the Convention to address these issues when submitting future nominations;

7. Further takes note of the progress made thanks to the use of Form ICH-01 and Form ICH-02 containing a revised Section 5, which led to a very limited number of nominations being referred on criteria U.5 and R.5, and welcomes the link made between nominations to the Lists of the Convention and the periodic reporting mechanism;

General issues

8. Cautions States Parties about the risk of planning and implementing safeguarding plans that narrowly target specific aspects of a practice without taking into consideration the broader context in which intangible cultural heritage, in particular that is in need of urgent safeguarding, is practised, as these measures may not address the root threats to the continued transmission of the element and may therefore not safeguard living heritage in a sustainable manner;

9. Notes that several nomination files refer to other UNESCO programmes, such as the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions or the Creative Cities Network and reminds States Parties that while these instruments and programmes all contribute to the mandate of UNESCO and synergies between them should be encouraged, they all rely on different purposes and criteria from the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage;

Specific issues related to criteria of the Lists

10. Recalls Decisions 12.COM 11 and 12.COM 14 and welcomes in this regard, the generous voluntary supplementary contribution of the Government of Japan to the Intangible Cultural Fund to organize a preliminary meeting of experts and support the convening of an open- ended intergovernmental working group; these two meetings would be called to reflect on, inter alia, the nature and purposes of the Lists and the Register established under the Convention and on the relevance of the various criteria for each of these mechanisms, in particular criterion R.2 in relation to the nature and purpose of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity;

11. Recalls paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Operational Directives and reminds of the importance to make a distinction between safeguarding measures as required by criterion R.3 for the Representative List and safeguarding plan as required under criterion U.3 for the Urgent Safeguarding List while evaluating nominations on those lists during the future cycles;

12. Further recalls Decisions 9.COM 10 and 10.COM 10 concerning criteria U.4 and R.4 and reminds States Parties of the need to ascertain the representativeness of the individuals, groups and entities that provide consent on behalf of the communities and to ensure that the evidence of consent refers specifically to the nomination of the element and does not use inappropriate concepts contradicting the provisions of the Convention;

13. Also recalls Decision 10.COM 10 concerning criteria U.5 and R.5, reminds States Parties that drawing up inventories of intangible cultural heritage that are developed and regularly updated with the participation of communities is one of the core obligations of the Convention and encourages States Parties to make use of the ‘Guidance Note on Inventorying Intangible Cultural Heritage’ developed by the Secretariat to assist their efforts in this regard;

Towards a dialogue mechanism

14. Reaffirms Resolution 7.GA 6 and decides to request the Secretariat to transmit any questions of the Evaluation Body on files submitted for the 2019 cycle to States Parties concerned after the second meeting of the Evaluation Body in 2019;

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15. Invites submitting States Parties which shall receive such questions to submit clarifications to the Evaluation Body before the third meeting of the Evaluation Body in 2019 in English and French, in a form that will be provided by the Secretariat;

16. Decides also to take stock of this provisional dialogue mechanism at its fourteenth session with a view to presenting possible amendments to the Operational Directives to the eighth session of the General Assembly of States Parties in 2020;

17. Requests that the Secretariat propose ways to improve the inscription process of nominations taking into account imminent issues raised during the present session as the

‘early harvest package’, including an upstream dialogue mechanism between the Evaluation Body and the submitting States, in order to submit draft Operational Directives for adoption by the General Assembly at its eighth session in 2020;

18. Also decides to seek for the finalization of the overall reflection process in time for the ninth session of the General Assembly in 2022.

DECISION 13.COM 10.a.1 The Committee

1. Takes note that Algeria has nominated Knowledge and skills of the water measurers of the foggaras or water bailiffs of Touat and Tidikelt (No. 01274) for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:

The element concerns the knowledge and skills of the water measurers of the foggaras (system of channels), or water bailiffs, of the ksour (village) communities of Touat and Tidikelt. The water measurers are involved in various operations, from calculating water shares to repairing distribution combs and conducting water in the channel. Every foggara connects several categories of social agents and knowledge bearers, including owners, manual workers, accountants and water measurers, but it is the water measurers’ knowledge that appears to be under threat. The water measurers are a key figure in the life of the Saharan ksour because they manage a domain vital to the survival of all. They play both an intellectual and a manual role and can be called upon continuously by the community.

However, there is currently a lack of communication between young people and their elders, and several factors have disrupted the proper functioning of the foggara, including changes by the central government to relations of ownership, the effects of urbanization and modernisation, and a lack of consideration as to what steps need to be taken to ensure knowledge is transmitted. The loss of activity for water measurers is directly reflected in their advanced age, which demonstrates a lack of new practitioners entering the business.

2. Decides that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:

U.1: The element is closely related to the way of life, economy and survival of the desert area of Algeria. The water measurers enjoy great respect and, despite radical changes seriously endangering the element, their activity remains integral to the culture of the foggaras. Apart from their role in water distribution, they also help maintain social balance, justice, morale and peace.

U.2: The knowledge and skills of the water measurers are closely connected to the historical local land law system, which has been affected by state interventions in oasis agriculture and introduction of technologically advanced underground water extraction methods. Along with the transfer of responsibility from individual owners to the state administration, such changes have entailed a loss of knowledge about traditional water distribution. With the increasing influence of modern agrotechnology, the water measurers’ services are in decreasing demand, and the transmission of the element, never recorded in writing, is critically endangered.

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U.4: Elected community representatives, members of an association for the protection of the foggaras, students, knowledge bearers and practitioners, in collaboration with researchers from the National Centre for Prehistoric, Anthropological and Historical Research and the institutions of the culture section of the Adrar prefecture all actively participated in preparing the nomination.

U.5: The element has been included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Data Bank since 2015, which is managed by the National Centre for Prehistoric, Anthropological and Historical Research. Several other institutions were also involved in identifying the element. The related information is updated through interviews, audiovisual documentation on transmission and reports on the current state of the element.

3. Further decides that based on the information provided by the State Party to the Committee at its present session concerning the safeguarding plan, the following criterion for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding is satisfied:

U.3: Previous safeguarding measures, implemented primarily by public authorities, centered on developing infrastructure and rehabilitating the foggaras with a strong focus on the physical aspects of the element, which makes a new plan focused on safeguarding the intangible knowledge and know-how related to the physical nature of foggaras all the more relevant. The two parts of the safeguarding plan proposed, namely to document the practice and to train a new generation of water measurers, could ensure the viability of the element. Although water measurers do not form a community as such, they nonetheless represent a homogeneous group with a strong sense of belonging to their community for which they continue to provide their services. The involvement of the community in safeguarding the element as an expression of a living heritage is reflected in the continued use of the services of water measurers in co-existence with the most modern means.

4. Inscribes Knowledge and skills of the water measurers of the foggaras or water bailiffs of Touat and Tidikelt on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

5. Commends the State Party for recognizing the vital role of traditional knowledge related to water distribution in difficult climatic conditions and further invites it to consider, when planning the safeguarding measures, the full complexity of the knowledge and skills related to the system of the foggaras and the implications of the general changes in water and land resource management in the areas concerned;

6. Reminds the State Party that updating is an important part of the inventorying process and also invites it to include detailed information in its next periodic report on the implementation of the Convention at the national level on how the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Data Bank has been drawn up and regularly updated with the active participation of the communities, groups and non-governmental organizations concerned, in accordance with Article 11(b) of the Convention.

DECISION 13.COM 10.a.2 The Committee

1. Takes note that Azerbaijan has nominated Yalli (Kochari, Tenzere), traditional group dances of Nakhchivan (No. 01190) for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:

Yalli, traditional group dances, are dance expressions based exclusively on collective performances. Typically, yalli are performed in a circle, chain or line, and involve elements of games, pantomime (bird or other animal imitations), physical exercises and movements. The community of the yalli dances consists of practising dancers, who enact the dances either spontaneously or in a planned manner at various festivities and celebrations. Some variants of yalli bear a song-like character and are practised by both women and men, while others

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are practised by men only and imitate pastoralist games with some elements of butting animals. Until the mid-twentieth century, yalli were widely practised but several factors have impacted the transmission of the practice thereafter. They include a gradual loss of social functions for certain types of yalli, a preference for staged performances, external factors such as labour migration and the economic crises of the late 1980s and early 1990s, a shift from informal to formal transmission, and a drastic simplification of the dances, which has entailed a loss of diversity.

2. Decides that, from the information included in the file, the nomination satisfies the following criteria for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:

U.1: Yalli dances symbolize energy, solidarity and the rhythm of life, reinforcing social cohesion and friendship. Kochari and Tenzere are the most widely practised forms, and as local communities identify with them most intensely their chances of revitalization seem to be highest. The dances are transmitted informally during festivities and celebrations, as well as formally through folk dance groups and school education.

U.2: Passive knowledge of the element significantly exceeds active knowledge; many yalli dances persist solely in the memories of elderly people and archives. Due to several negative factors, the element was considerably weakened in the second half of the twentieth century, and its practice continues to decline. The main risks include a loss of variety, the use of homogenized, simplified forms, the gradual loss of different roles of practitioners and social functions of the dances, the prevalence of stage performances and the young generation’s preference for other types of entertainment in urban contexts.

U.3: Past safeguarding measures primarily focused on identifying, researching and documenting the element and strengthening its practice in folk dance groups, schools, music schools and culture houses, without any systematic approach and community involvement. The proposed safeguarding plan is well-conceived with clear objectives reflecting the identified needs, a budget and a plan for the central government and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Nakhchivan to allocate fifteen employees. The plan aims to create favourable conditions to transmit yalli and sustain their practice in the future, and the establishment of an association and a Yalli Information Centre would allow practitioners to share their experiences and network.

U.4: The nomination was initiated by the Sharur Folk Yalli Dance Ensemble, representing the community of yalli dancers, which retains and transmits knowledge of the dance to younger generations. Selected practitioners worked directly on preparing the nomination file and other practitioners, communities and stakeholders were involved in the process through consultations in a working group; the practitioners who were most actively involved and several other stakeholders provided their free, prior and informed consent.

U.5: Since 2010, the element has been inscribed on the Register of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The inventory is updated through fieldwork as well as requests from relevant communities. Practitioners and several local folk dance ensembles and musical schools helped identify and inventory the element, and Sharur Folk Yalli Dance Ensemble members played a leading role in collecting information among the community.

3. Inscribes Yalli (Kochari, Tenzere), traditional group dances of Nakhchivan on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding;

4. Reminds the State Party that intangible cultural heritage is intrinsically spontaneous and ever-changing and invites it to pay particular heed to ensuring that the large-scale training of new dancers does not lead to the standardization and decontextualization of the dances, the creation of new stereotypes and the further weakening of their spontaneous forms;