The sixth session of the Intergovernmental Committee on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) has opened at the Bali International Conference Centre, Bali, Indonesia, under the auspices of the Government of Indonesia, and the meeting, which will last from Tuesday, November 22 to Tuesday, November 29, 2011, is expected to have about 135 member countries in attendance.
More than 80 nominations, including Saman Dance from Indonesia, Fado from Portugal, and Mariachi music from Mexico, will be considered for inclusion of UNESCO Intangible Heritage lists at the meeting, which was last held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, Nairobi, Kenya, from November 14-19, 2010.
Among 17 nominations that have been recommended for the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Mali, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire will present a multinational nomination, with the Cultural Practices and Expressions related to the Balafon of the Senufo Communities.
The Committee, chaired by Professor Aman Wirakartakusumah of Indonesia, will also consider 23 nominations proposed for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in need of Urgent Safeguarding, and 12 proposals of programs for the Register of Best Safeguarding Practices, just as it will also grant financial assistance for safeguarding activities and examine the first periodic reports of the States Parties on the implemen
tation of the Convention.
As we approach the 10th Anniversary of the 2003 Convention scheduled for 2013, the Committee will also look into planned events at national, regional, sub-regional and international levels.
The National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) is the UNESCO focal agency for the Safeguarding of the ICH, and the Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, is attending the session with the Director, Training School, Mr. Innocent Itapah Azuobu, and Deputy Director/SA-ES, Mr. Nelson Ebi Campbell, in fulfillment of the status of Nigeria as an Observer on the Committee.
(c) Nico news