The city of Rabat will host the work of the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage from November 28 to December 3, we learned from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
“Morocco has generously offered to host the next session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, from November 28 to December 3, 2022 in Rabat”, indicates the UN organization on its website, noting that the Bureau of the committee approved this offer with “enthusiasm” in June.
“UNESCO thanks Morocco for having offered to host the committee, thus allowing the entire ICH community to meet in Rabat next November following two consecutive years of online modalities,” it says. same source.
The Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Morocco to UNESCO, Samir Addahre, was elected President of the seventeenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, along with Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Panama, Republic of Korea and Botswana as vice-presidents and Mr. Ramiro Maurice Silva Rivera of Peru as rapporteur, the same source said.
“Morocco played an active role in the adoption of the 2003 Convention, even before its ratification, since it actively participated in the drafting of the Convention before its approval”, stresses UNESCO, which notes that Morocco has twelve elements inscribed on the lists of the 2003 Convention, the first being “the Cultural Space of Jemaa el-Fna Square” inscribed in 2008 on the representative list.
Among these twelve elements, continues the same source, Morocco is part of three multinational files that include a high number of countries in the region: “Date palm: knowledge, skills, traditions and practices”, “Arabic calligraphy: knowledge, skills and practices” and “Knowledge, know-how and practices relating to the production and consumption of couscous”.
The committee is responsible in particular for promoting the objectives of the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, advising on best practices and formulating recommendations on safeguarding measures for intangible cultural heritage.
It studies applications for inclusion on the UNESCO lists, as well as proposals for programs or projects. The committee is also responsible for providing international assistance in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
It is also responsible for the implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, mainly through the development of a series of operational guidelines and a plan for the use of the resources of the Fund for the Safeguarding of Heritage intangible cultural heritage as defined in Article 25 of the Convention. It submits these documents to the General Assembly for approval.
The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is a UNESCO treaty adopted by the General Conference of the UN organization on October 17, 2003 and entered into force in 2006.
Its objectives are to ensure the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned, raising awareness at local, national and international levels of the importance of intangible cultural heritage and mutual appreciation and international cooperation and assistance in this regard.
