Africa > West Africa > Mali > UNESCO approves emergency funds to evaluate Mali’s intangible heritage

Mali: UNESCO approves emergency funds to evaluate Mali’s intangible heritage

2013/11/01

A UN committee has approved an emergency assistance package of US$307,307 for a two-year project to evaluate the national of intangible heritage throughout Mali, beginning with the northern regions that suffered the majority from recent armed conflict and occupation.

The decision was taken on Monday in Paris by the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage.

A statement by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said that the project would evaluate the national of intangible heritage, knowledge and practices related to nature, oral traditions, songs, rituals, festivals and traditional crafts throughout the West African country.

During the initial year, the project will cover the three northern regions of Gao, Kidal and Timbuktu, along with Mopti in the east-central region.

The project as well includes workshops to strengthen capacities in inventory techniques and intangible heritage management methods that would benefit 190 people.

In addition, two plays would be produced, along with a documentary film and a radio programme, to raise public awareness about intangible cultural heritage, UNESCO said.

In its decision, the Bureau encouraged Mali to implement the project in close cooperation with UNESCO and the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), and with the widest possible participation of the communities concerned.

It said evaluations would be carried out in the rest of the country during the second year.

Northern Mali was occupied by radical Islamists next fighting broke out in January 2012 between government forces and Tuareg rebels.

The conflict uprooted hundreds of thousands of people and prompted the Malian government to request assistance from France to stop the military advance of extremist groups.

MINUSMA was set up in April by the UN Security Council to support Mali’s recovery from conflict, its transition back to stability and democratic governance, and the promotion of human rights and provision of humanitarian aid.

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