UNESCO: INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE CONVENTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 001006

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO

STATE FOR IO/UNESCO NOVO AND SIEKMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SCUL AORC UNESCO
SUBJECT: UNESCO: INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE CONVENTION
REACHES RATIFICATION, DG OUTLINES NEXT STEPS



1. SUMMARY: On February 9, 2006 UNESCO hosted an
information session for member states on the Convention for
the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Director General (DG),Matsuura and Assistant Director
General (ADG) for Culture, Bouchenaki outlined the next
steps for the implementation of the convention. At this
point, 32 states have ratified the convention, two more than
the number needed for it to go into effect. Other
delegations announced at the meeting their intention to
ratify before March 20, 2006. Next steps include the
election in June 2006 of an Intergovernmental Committee
(IGC) that will set operational guidelines and establish a
list of examples of intangible cultural heritage that merit
safeguarding, as well as, integrate the existing list of
"100 Masterpieces". Funding will also be explored. END
SUMMARY.


2. At a February 9 information session, the DG informed
delegations that UNESCO will hold the first meeting of the
states parties to the Intangible Cultural Heritage
Convention June 27-29, 2006. He stressed that delegations
that want to participate as states parties must file their
ratification before March 20, 2006. UNESCO welcomes all
other member states to attend the June meeting as observers.
The two most important items on the agenda for this meeting
are 1) the election of the 18 member IGC, that will oversee
Intangible Cultural Heritage at UNESCO, and 2) the plan for
the funding of activities within the Intangible Cultural
Heritage Convention. The Ambassadors of Benin and Grenada
expressed concern that countries that cannot get the
convention ratified by March 20 will not be able to
participate in setting up the rules and regulations that
govern the convention. (COMMENT: Funding issues were not
explored in the briefing and they were not the subject of
participants' questions. END COMMENT.)


3. The DG stated that the first IGC will be made up of 18
members and will increase to 24, once 50 states parties have
ratified the convention. To ensure geographic distribution,
the IGC will reserve two seats for each region. Committee
member states will be elected to a four-year term, renewable
once. Half of the first IGC will be elected to a two-year
term and its first meeting will be held in September 2006,
the specific dates and venue to be determined. At the
September meeting, the committee will set operational
guidelines. It will also have the task of defining the list
of examples of intangible cultural heritage requiring urgent
safeguarding. This list will take into account geographical
representation, as well as, the guidelines for when and how
Intangible Cultural Heritage needs protection.


4. ADG Bouchenaki reported that the list of 100
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
will automatically be integrated into the Intangible
Cultural Heritage list, regardless of whether the country
from which the masterpiece originates is a state party to
the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention. Countries
represented on the list of "100 Masterpieces" comprise two-
thirds of the current states parties to the Intangible
Cultural Heritage Convention. (NOTE: The U.S. is not
represented on the 100 Masterpieces list. END NOTE.) The
ADG also briefly mentioned previous discussions relating to
a possible proposal to include the Smithsonian Institute's
summer festival on the list of Masterpieces, but he did not
elaborate. (COMMENT: This was the first time the Mission
heard mention of this possibility.)


5. According to the DG, the amount of funding from
delegations will be explored at the June 2006 meeting. He
also stated the amount would not exceed one percent of the
states parties' assessed contributions. Voluntary
contributions above this amount, however, will be accepted
and play an important role in implementation.


6. The Ambassadors of Algeria and Japan proposed hosting
the first IGC meetings in their countries. Both also
expressed interest in being elected to the IGC. The DG
diplomatically stated that their proposals would be
reviewed, but indicated that he personally welcomed them.
The Ambassador of Grenada urged the committee to consider
convening some of the IGC meetings at UNESCO Headquarters in
Paris, rather than in foreign cities due the to burden the
high expense of traveling will impose on less wealthy
countries. Many delegations responded to this with applause
and approval. ADG Bouchenaki acknowledged Grenada's request
and agreed to consider possible solutions.


7. Countries announcing at the meeting their intention to
ratify the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage before the March 20, 2006 deadline
included: Brazil, Belgium, Paraguay, and Hungary.
Oliver