Members of HAEMUS will be part of the upcoming seminar for ”Implementing the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at the National Level”. The training will be organized by the National Committee of ICTM (International Council for Traditional Music) in Macedonia in partnership with the National Commission of UNESCO for Macedonia and the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe with its center in Sofia (Bulgaria), under the auspices of the Ministry of culture of the Republic of Macedonia.
The main aim of the seminar is introducing the Conventions for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage with its key concepts, local examples of awareness raising and safeguarding of ICH in the Republic of Macedonia, as well as its implementation at the international level. The seminar will be held between 11.04-15.04.2016 in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. The field trips will be organized within the seminar in order to establish the observations and discussions on inventorying and safeguarding of ICH and sustainable development.
The seminar is to be attended by persons who have had previous knowledge and experience in this sphere and suitable education, i.e. researchers, scientists, practitioners, carriers of intangible cultural heritage, persons employed in the administration that has competence over the preservation process (Ministry of Culture, Cultural Heritage Protection Office, institutes, museums, archives, local self-government, etc.). After the active participation in the seminar, each participant will receive a certificate for the intangible cultural heritage protection training.
Macedonia is one of the first countries in the world that have signed this convention, which was ratified in 2006 on a national level. As of 2013, Macedonia has successfully included the three intangible cultural heritages in UNESCO’s list (the custom “Chetrse” from Stip, the folk dance “Kopackata” from Dramce, all included in the UNESCO representative list, and the “Glasoecko singing of Dolni Polog” listed in the urgent protection).
Another two multinational applications for possible inclusion of the “Spring Celebrations: Hidrelez/Erdelezi” and the “Practices connected to the celebration of March 1” in which HAEMS take part were filed in 2016.
More info about UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the ICH
Intangible Cultural Heritage means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, and skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, and provides them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. For the purposes of this Convention, consideration will be given solely to such intangible cultural heritage as is compatible with existing international human rights instruments, as well as with the requirements of mutual respect among communities, groups and individuals, and of sustainable development
The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is a UNESCO treaty adopted by the UNESCO General Conference on 17 October 2003. The convention entered into force in 2006, after thirtieth instruments of ratification by UNESCO Member States. As of March 2016, 167 states have ratified the convention including the Republic of Macedonia.
