Thirteenth session of the Committee started today

From 26 November to 1 December 2018, the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will come together for its thirteenth session in Port Louis, Republic of Mauritius. Nearly 800 participants – representatives of States Parties, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions and other stakeholders – from all corners of the world are expected to attend the meeting. Over the sessions, the twenty-four States Members of the Committee are to discuss a number of issues that are important for the safeguarding of living heritage around the world and the following nominations: 7 elements proposed for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding; 40 nominations for inscription on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity; submitted from the countries of South-East Europe are the following: Bosnia and Herzegovina: Picking of iva grass on Ozren mountain; Croatia: Međimurska popevka, a folksong from Međimurje Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland: Art of dry stone walling, knowledge and techniques; Georgia: Chidaoba, wrestling in Georgia; Serbia: Singing to the accompaniment of the Gusle; Slovenia: Bobbin lacemaking in Slovenia; 2 proposals for inscription on the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices – from Saudi Arabia and Sweden; International assistance request – from Albania. The agenda, provisional timetable, and documents of the meeting are available for consultation at the meeting’s dedicated webpage (https://ich.unesco.org/en/13com).

Twelfth Annual Meeting of the South-East European Experts Network on Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Role of Museums in Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-East Europe   On 25 and 26 October in Ljubljana will be held the 12th Annual Meeting of the South-East European Experts Network on Intangible Cultural Heritage. The theme that they will discuss is “The Role of Museums in Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-East Europe”. Twelve years those meetings are being used as an instrument for sharing knowledge, experience and good practices for the safeguarding and the popularization of intangible cultural heritage, and also to motivate the cooperation in this field. The event is being organized by the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe in cooperation with the Regional Centre-Sofia, UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia, the Slovenian National Commission for UNESCO and the Slovenian Ethnographic Museum. Attendants of the meeting will be Mr. Tim Curtis – Head of ICH Section, UNESCO, international experts from the organization and representatives of the ministries of culture and museums dealing with intangible cultural heritage from Southeast Europe. UNESCO Venice Office  

Pitching forum for documentaries dealing with intangible cultural heritage

Filming ICH The Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO, The International Festival of Ethnological Film, Belgrade and Balkan Documentary Center invite you to apply for the first edition of the professional pitching forum – Filming ICH. The aim of Filming ICH is to present and support documentary projects in any stage of production, who are dealing with topics related to intangible cultural heritage. The participants can be filmmakers, ethnologists or anthropologists, working on ICH – related documentary films. Within 2 working days, the selected participants will have the chance to work with professionals from the film industry in shaping their projects. They will present the results to an international jury. The best ones will be awarded with honorary plaque from the Regional Centrе and automatic selection for the training programs of Balkan Documentary Center. Filming ICH is an initiative, which will support filmmakers, who are working on topics related to intangible cultural heritage. It will foster the importance of documentaries as a modern tool for safeguarding the ICH, promoting its function and transmission in society, re-inventing traditions, customs, and rituals. Our aim is to build a forum, where filmmakers and ICH experts can work together to create and promote film projects, exploring the universe of intangible cultural heritage.  The focus of the projects is the region of South-Eastern Europe. The call is open to participants from one of the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, FYR of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Romania, Türkiye, Ukraine.  Up to 5 projects will be selected. In order to apply, please, fill in our registration form: https://goo.gl/forms/sALs5qrywJwE7xpx2 Send all additional requested documents to: email@bdcwebsite.com Deadline for submission: 15 September 2018. Dates of the event: 11-13 October Location: Belgrade, Serbia within the framework of the International Festival of Ethnological Film  Participation is free of charge. The organizers will cover accommodation and subsistence for two people per team. Travel expenses are not included.  The workshop is fully conducted in English and proficiency in written and spoken English is obligatory. For more information: http://www.unesco-centerbg.org/en/; www.bdcwebsite.com; http://www.etnofilm.org  We would like to invite you to our Facebook page and web data base of Balkan documentary sector. We are looking forward to receiving your applications!  #EuropeForCulture  The event is part of European Year of Cultural Heritage.

Call for intergovernmental and international NGO’s to be admitted as members of the General Assembly

THE REGIONAL CENTRE FOR THE SAFEGUARDING OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE IN SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNESCO ANNOUNCES A PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INTERNATIONAL NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS TO BE ADMITTED AS MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE CENTRE The procedure is conducted in accordance with the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and UNESCO, the United National Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO), ratified by law and promulgated in the State Gazette, issue 32 from 13.04.2018, the acting Statutes of the Centre, the Rules of procedure for selection of Intergovernmental organizations and International non-governmental organizations to be admitted as members of the General Assembly of the Centre, adopted by the General Assembly on 17.05.2018 and a decision of the Executive Board from 13.06.2018. І.Legal ground Pursuant to Art. 7 of the Agreement and Art 18, par. 1, sub-par. 6 from the acting Statutes of the Centre up to two representatives of Intergovernmental organizations and International non-governmental organizations may be co-opted as members with voting rights of the General Assembly of the Centre after a decision of the General Assembly. ІІ. General Eligibility Criteria Intergovernmental organizations and International non-governmental organizations applying for membership in the General Assembly of the Centre must satisfy possess expertise in areas with direct relevance to the activity of the Centre and must share its mission and ideas. They shall: share the core values of UNESCO, among which are teamwork, tolerance and solidarity, work in the interest of humanity and respect for cultural identities; be active in spheres related to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, including in one or more specific areas of competence of UNESCO, as well as in promoting and supporting the implementation of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage; be able, through their activities, to contribute to the fulfilment of the mission and the objectives of the Centre. ІІІ. Ineligibility Ineligible for membership in the General Assembly of the Centre are Intergovernmental organizations and International non-governmental organizations that: perform activities which are contrary to the mission and the objectives of UNESCO or the Centre; participate in activities constituting violation of human rights, allowing forced labour or the use of child labour; are directly involved in the manufacture or sale of weapons; contravene sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council or otherwise violate valid obligations or responsibilities as required by the United Nations Organization. ІV. Requirements to the status and membership of an Intergovernmental organization Intergovernmental organizations nominating their representatives for membership in the General Assembly of the Centre must obligatory satisfy the following cumulative requirements: to have been established under an international treaty, agreement or other official act of incorporation signed by governments of nation states in evidence of an accord reached between them; to comprise three or more nation states as contracting parties to the act of incorporation; to have a permanent secretariat running the day-to-day affairs of the organization. The Intergovernmental organizations submit their official acts of incorporation, and their rules of operation in evidence of their compliance with these requirements. V. Cumulative requirements to the status and membership of an International non-governmental organization International non-governmental organizations nominating their representatives for membership in the General Assembly of the Centre must obligatory satisfy the following cumulative requirements as to their non-governmental nature: have proven competence, expertise and experience in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (as defined in Article 2.3 of the 2003 Convention) belonging to one or more specific domains; have objectives that are in conformity with the spirit of the 2003 Convention and, preferably, statutes or bylaws that conform with those objectives; cooperate in a spirit of mutual respect with communities, groups, and, where appropriate, individuals that create, practise and transmit intangible cultural heritage; possess operational capacities, including a regular active membership, which forms a community linked by the desire to pursue the objectives for which it was established; an established domicile and a recognized legal personality as compatible with domestic law; having existed and having carried out appropriate activities for at least four years when being considered; have a recognized status of a non-governmental, not-for-profit, non-political, non-religious and non-trade-union organization in the country of registration. VI. Alternative requirements to the status and membership of an International non-governmental organization International non-governmental organizations nominating their representatives for membership in the General Assembly of the Centre must obligatory satisfy the following alternative requirements with respect to their international standing: their non-profit objectives must be geared for attaining benefits at international level; their activity must have an impact on the territories of at least three countries; must operate in at least three countries; must have members, branches, representatives or offices in at least three countries. The International non-governmental organizations submit their official instruments of association, certificates of registration, and rules of operation, in evidence of their compliance with the cumulative requirements The International non-governmental organizations submit a declaration of compliance with the alternative requirements, supported with any relevant evidence. VІІ. Conducting the procedure The check for eligibility of the Intergovernmental organizations and International non-governmental organizations candidates for membership in the General Assembly is done by the members of the Secretariat of the Centre designated by the Executive Director who review the submitted proposals and nominations and the presented documents and draw up a list of the eligible organizations, i.e. those that satisfy the criteria and requirements for membership in the General Assembly of the Centre.  The list of eligible Intergovernmental organizations and International non-governmental organizations is submitted by the Executive Director to the Executive Board for review. The Executive Board adopts a decision approving the final list of applicant organizations to be submitted to the General Assembly of the Centre for a discussion and a vote. The admitted organizations are informed in written in a due course about the day, hour and the place of the session of the General Assembly where their nomination is supposed to be voted. The foreign organizations – candidates for membership in the General Assembly of the Centre present their documents in English. Organizations having