Dear Colleagues,

I must congratulate Patrick on bringing this matter to your attention
and wish to give the strongest possible endorsement to his
recommendations for action. 

As one of the participants in the intergovernmental meetings for
Barbados, it was of great concern to us that there needed to be a clear
understanding both in terms of the scope of intangible heritage, and
indeed the convention itself, as well as specific provisions for the
documentation and management for such heritage, and opportunities for
capacity building in the member states.

Let me recommend as an expansion of what Patrick has outlined, that it
would be most useful for each national committee to make contact with
their National Commission for UNESCO ( or UNESCO permanent delegation
where the former does not exist), to advise them about the museums'
interest and vital participation in/ to such a convention, and to ensure
that they are involved in the preparation of any planning for the
implementation of said convention.

Best Wishes,
Alissandra Cummins
Chairperson, Advisory Committee

-----Original Message-----
From: International Council of Museums Discussion List
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Patrick Boylan
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 5:49 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: PROPOSED UNESCO CONVENTION ON THE PRESERVATION OF THE
INTANGIBLE HERITAGE (ENGLISH, FRANCAIS, ESPANOL)

Dear Colleagues:

Among the working papers now distributed to all Member States by UNESCO
in
preparation for the biennial General Conference in the Autumn is the
recommended text of the proposed UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding
of
the Intangible Heritage of the World. This is a highly significant
proposal - regarded as the most important development of international
cultural heritage law since the adoption of the World Heritage
Convention
in 1972.

As drafted, this will affect not just the protection and promotion of
local, national and international intangible heritage such as
traditional
and oral customs, crafts, performances and other practices etc., but
also
all museums, historic buildings and sites, libraries and archive
services
that are in any way associated with or documenting and recording these.

Because of this, it seems very unfortunate that over the four years of
planning and development of the Draft Convention some of the key
international organisations that will be affected, such as ICOM, IFLA
(Libraries), ICA (Archives) and ICOMOS (Monuments & Sites) do not seem
to
have been consulted, presumably because their actual and potential
future
involvement was not recognised and understood.

It therefore seems very important that ICOM and the other international
organisations concerned play a very active role in the debate on the new
Convention during the coming General Conference of UNESCO, in order to
ensure that these interests are fully represented in the proposed new
International Committee that will be established by the Convention.

The full text of this proposed new Convention is available in all six
UNESCO official languages on the UNESCO website in .pdf format as
follows:

English text:

"Preliminary Draft International Convention for the Safeguarding of the
Intangible Cultural Heritage and report by the Director-General on the
situation calling for standard-setting and on the possible scope of such
standard-setting"

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001307/130784e.pdf

Version francais:

"Avant-projet de convention internationale pour la sauvegarde du
patrimoine
culturel immatériel et Rapport du Directeur général sur la situation
devant
faire l'objet d'une action normative et sur l'étendue possible d'une
telle
action"

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001307/130784f.pdf


Texte en espanol:

"Anteproyecto de convención internacional para la salvaguardia del
patrimonio cultural inmaterial e informe del Director General sobre la
situación que debe ser objeto de una actividad normativa, así como sobre
el
posible alcance de dicha actividad"

http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0013/001307/130784s.pdf




Patrick Boylan
(Chairperson, ICOM-International Committee for the Training of Personnel
-
ICTOP)

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