Bulgaria will be a member of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
04 June 2014 News
The Republic of Bulgaria was elected a member of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at the Fifth Session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage which was held at the organization's headquarters in Paris. Our country has a four-year membership for the period 2014-2018.
The Committee consists of 24 Member States for a term of four years, and the Members are renewed every two years. Its core functions are to monitor the implementation of the goals and objectives of the Convention and to provide guidance and make recommendations on best practices for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. The Committee is in charge of examining the nominations for the inscription of intangible cultural heritage elements on the World List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, as well as the adoption of new programs and projects.
Bulgaria contributes to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage with two elements - "Fire Dancing" and the Bulgarian group "Bistritsa Babi - Archaic Polyphony, Dances and Ritual Practices from the Shoplouk region." Our country has applied for the inscription of a new element - "Handmade carpets"and the application will be considered at the Ninth Session of the Committee in November 2014.
In 2012, in Sofia, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova opened the Regional Centre for Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Southeastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO, which promotes the implementation of the Convention at regional level.