Workshop “Sharing experiences and good practices in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in West Africa”, September 17th to 19th, 2024, Abuja, Nigeria

UNESCO's Regional Office for West Africa, in collaboration with the National Office in Abuja, is organizing a first-ever sharing workshop to strengthen the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in West Africa. This important meeting will be held from September 17th to 19th, 2024 in Abuja, Nigeria, and will bring together representatives from 5 countries: Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, alongside international experts such as those from the global network of UNESCO ICH facilitators and the Regional Centre in Algiers for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Africa, a category 2 center under the auspices of UNESCO (CRESPIAF).

West Africa is renowned for its immense and rich cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. The latter refers to practices that have a strong symbolic value for the communities that carry them, providing them with a sense of identity and continuity. Passed down from generation to generation, intangible cultural heritage, also known as living heritage, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history. This unique heritage faces a number of challenges, including increasing globalization, new technologies and climate change.

The 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, ratified by 183 countries, including 13 in West Africa, provides a valuable framework for safeguarding this living heritage and guaranteeing its transmission to future generations. With this in mind, representatives of cultural directorates, accredited NGOs, communities, heritage experts, members of UNESCO's global network of ICH facilitators, as well as civil society stakeholders, including young people from beneficiary countries, will meet to exchange good practices in contributing to the effective safeguarding of ICH in West Africa and encouraging sustainable development.

The opening ceremony will be attended by the representative of UNESCO's Regional Office for West Africa, Gambia as the country of honor, and Nigeria as the host country. The training sessions will be led by two international ICH facilitators, Ms. Emily Drani Drani and Mr. Gankhanani Moyo, and the UNESCO team. Over the three days, participants will share their experiences in safeguarding, transmitting and promoting ICH, while highlighting the crucial role of local communities, young people and women in this process.

The program will include introductory sessions on the 2003 Convention, its key concepts, the ratification process, the safeguarding measures adopted by participating countries, the role of education and national inventories in safeguarding ICH, and the issues related with involving communities and taking gender dynamics into account. Particular attention will be paid to the challenges faced by countries in the region in safeguarding their ICH, especially those elements requiring urgent safeguarding. The workshop will also include practical exercises with site visits, enabling participants to practice the process of inventorying ICH elements directly in the field with the holding communities. The workshop will close with two round tables, the first intergenerational, focusing on the role of communities and youth in the protection and promotion of ICH. The second high-level one will focus on the contribution of intangible cultural heritage to sustainable development, responsible tourism and peacebuilding in West Africa.

This initiative is in line with the effective implementation of the 2003 UNESCO Convention. It is in line with UNESCO's flagship Priority Africa program and the declaration of UNESCO's World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development - MONDIACULT 2022. It is also a prelude to the next edition of MONDIACULT 2025, to be held in Barcelona in the second half of 2025.

Related links :

• 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
• UNESCO's Regional Office for West Africa
• UNESCO Abuja Office
• New centre in Algeria for safeguarding intangible heritage in Africa
• Capacity-building materials repository
• Global network of facilitators
• Join the free UNESCO MOOC on living heritage and sustainable development!
• Spain to host MONDIACULT 2025

CONTACTS :

• UNESCO Regional Office for West Africa
  • Adèle Nibona, Regional Cultural Advisor for West Africa: [email protected]
  • Marie Schmitz : [email protected]
  • Théodore Somda : [email protected]
• UNESCO Abuja Office

Ifeanyi Victor Ajaegbo : [email protected]

• UNESCO Accra Office

Carl Ampah: [email protected]