Events and meetings on intangible cultural heritage (co-)organized by UNESCO
The Conference was organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan and UNESCO with the following objectives:
To convene a panel of experts on performing arts and crafts;
To identify areas of intangible heritage in Asia and the Pacific requiring particular assistance for preservation and the necessary actions to do so, and;
To expand the framework of international co-operation for the preservation of intangible cultural heritage in Asia and the Pacific.
Representatives and observers from thirteen Asian countries including Japan and observers from four countries attended the conference. Participants formulated concrete suggestions for regional co-operation, modes of action, a legal framework, training and priority activities to be undertaken, and discussed the role of governments in preserving and promoting intangible cultural heritage. They also addressed recommendations to UNESCO and the national governments regarding larger la structure de cooperation their roles in actively responding to the recommendations.
The purpose of this consultation was to advise the Organization on future directions and the orientation of the medium-term strategy (1996-2001) and on its programme for safeguarding and enhancing intangible cultural heritage. Eighty-one participants, including experts, representatives of research institutions and private foundations, as well as observers from some thirty countries, attended the meeting.
The following new objectives were submitted to UNESCO regarding its action in the field of intangible cultural heritage:
UNESCO’s role should be that of a catalyst, coordinator and creator of awareness of the need to safeguard intangible cultural heritage;
UNESCO’s action and priority: the Organization proposed that: -Short-term priority be given to the performing arts, oral traditions, languages and traditional skills; and - Long-term priority be given to the revitalization of intangible cultural heritage for transmission to future generations;
Principle of intervention: emphasis was placed on the need to create regional and inter-regional networks of specialized institutions to coordinate actions, promote international collaboration and the exchange of information and experience;
Modes of action recommended for UNESCO to ensure the revitalization and transmission of this heritage include the organization of training sessions for safeguarding and promoting intangible heritage, the publication of oral traditions in local and contact languages and the official recognition of leading specialists, including practitioners, of intangible cultural heritage.
Initial special reports by Member States on the implementation of the Convention on Technical and Vocational Education; Initial special reports by Member States on the implementation of the Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore 26 C/31: English
Initial special reports by Member States on the implementation of the Recommandation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore 26 C/30: English
Draft Recommendation to Member States on the Safeguarding of Folklore 25 C/33: English
Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore; adopted by the General Conference at its twenty-fifth session, Paris, 15 November 1989: English
Records of the General Conference, 25th session, Paris, 17 October to 16 November 1989, v. 1: Resolutions 25 C/Resolutions + CORR. in fre, spa: English
Draft Recommendation to Member States on the Safeguarding of Folklore CC/CPY/CSP.89/CONF.206/CR; CPY.89/CONF.206/COL.3: English
First draft of a Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Folklore: Final report prepared in accordance with Article 10(3) of the Rules of Procedure concerning recommendations to Member States and international conventions covered by the terms of Article IV, Paragraph 4, of the Constitution CC/MD/8 + ADD. 1: English
Decisions adopted by the Executive Board at its 130th session, Paris, 13 October-9 November 1988 130 EX/Decisions: English
Invitations to the meeting of the Special Committee of Governmental Experts to Prepare a Draft Recommendation to Member States on the Safeguarding of Folklore 130 EX/13: English
Desirability of adopting a general international instrument on the safeguarding of folklore 24 C/31+ADD.: English
Records of the General Conference, 24th session, Paris, 20 October to 20 November 1987, v. 1: Resolutions 24 C/Resolutions + CORR. in eng, fre: English
Consideration of the problems raised by the need to inventory, collect and study the non-physical heritage CC.87/CONF.609/3; CC.87/CONF.609/COL.8: English
Ethnolinguistic method for the development of a typology of the non-physical heritage CC.87/CONF.609/5; CC.87/CONF.609/COL.3: English
In pursuance of Resolution 15.3 adopted by the General Conference of Unesco at its twenty-third session (Sofia, October-November 1985) and in accordance with paragraph 15109 of the Work Plan relating to that resolution, the Director-General of Unesco convened a Special Committee of Technical and Legal Experts on the Safeguarding of Folklore, which met at Unesco Headquarters from 1 to 5 June 1987.
The Special Committee was charged with the responsibility to prepare draft international regulations in the afore-mentioned field in order to examine the measures to be taken with a view to guaranteeing, within the framework of a global approach and on an interdisciplinary basis, the safeguarding of folklore. It recommended that an international regulation in the form of a recommendation may be adopted to regulate the safeguarding of folklore and adopted a
draft of such a recommendation.
Documents
General regulation for the safeguarding of folklore IGC(1971)/VII/19; CPY.87/CONF.002/COL.11: English
