“Morocco has generously proposed to host the upcoming session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, from 28 November to 3 December 2022 in Rabat. The Bureau of the Committee approved this offer with enthusiasm in June,” said the UN organization on its website.
“UNESCO thanks Morocco for offering to host the Committee, allowing the ICH (Intangible cultural heritage) community to meet altogether in Rabat next November after two consecutive years of online modalities,” the same source said.
The Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Morocco to UNESCO, Samir Addahre was elected as the Chairperson of the seventeenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, with Switzerland, Czechia, Panama, Republic of Korea and Botswana as vice-chairpersons and Mr Ramiro Maurice Silva Rivera from Peru as the rapporteur, the same source said.
“Morocco has played an active role for the adoption of the 2003 Convention, even before its ratification as it was actively engaged in the drafting of the Convention prior to its endorsement,” UNESCO said.
Morocco has twelve inscribed elements on the Lists of the 2003 Convention, the first being “Cultural space of Jemaa el-Fna Square” inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List.
Amongst those twelve elements, 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 pertaining to the production and consumption of couscous.”
The core functions of the Committee are to promote the objectives of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, provide guidance on best practices and make recommendations on measures for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage.
The 24-member Committee examines requests submitted by States Parties for the inscription of intangible heritage on the Lists as well as proposals for programs and projects. The Committee is also in charge of granting international assistance.
The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage prepares the implementation of the Convention, mainly through the elaboration of a set of operational directives and of a plan for the use of the resources of the Fund for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, established by Article 25 of the Convention. It submits these documents for approval to the General Assembly.
