ICHCAP

The nineteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereinafter referred to as the IGC) will convene at the Conmebol Convention Center-Hotel Bourbon in Asunción, Republic of Paraguay, from Monday, 2 December to Saturday, 7 December 2024.

On the inaugural day, the IGC will feature a comprehensive report by the Secretariat, outlining its activities, followed by the adoption of the session’s agenda. Additionally, the Committee will review reports submitted by States Parties concerning the current status of elements inscribed on both the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Particular attention will be given to submissions from African States Parties.

Significant topics relevant to the future trajectory of the Convention will be addressed, including the examination of nominations for inscription, the potential transfer of elements between lists, discussions on the broader implementation of Article 18 of the Convention, and thematic initiatives concerning living heritage and sustainable development. Notably, recent initiatives will inform the direction of ongoing projects, and guidelines for safeguarding intangible heritage in the context of climate change will be unveiled during this session, highlighting the timeliness of this effort.

Through the review of the nomination, the ‘Knowledge, beliefs, and practices related to Jang making in the Republic of Korea’ has been recommended by the Evaluation Body for inscription. This will bring the total number of elements on the Representative List to 23 for Republic of Korea. Other nominations recommended for inscription include ‘Custom of Korean costume: traditional knowledge, skills, and social practices in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,’ ‘Spring festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional New Year,’ and ‘Traditional knowledge and skills of sake-making with koji mold in Japan.’

In parallel, the IGC will be accompanied by a diverse array of side events, including the ICH NGO Forum’s symposium on participatory approaches to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, presentations on guidance notes and handbooks for periodic reporting, and meetings focused on ‘ICH, Climate Change, and the Environment,’ as well as a ‘Working Group: Global Results Framework.’

The detailed agenda and schedule can be found at the relevant link: https://ich.unesco.org/en/19com