RATIFICATION OF THE 2003 UNESCO CONVENTION FOR SAFEGUARDING OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE (ICH)

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• RATIFICATION OF THE 2003 UNESCO CONVENTION FOR
  SAFEGUARDING OF INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
  (ICH)
• Presentation to the Select Committee on Education
  and Recreation, Arts Culture
• AA115

HERITAGE POLICY RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT
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TABLE OF CONTENT

• Introduction Pg 3
• Background Pg 4
• Consultation Pg 5 6
• Benefits Pg 7 8
• Regional Cooperation Pg 9 10
• National Policy on ICH Pg 11
• Progress thus far Pg 12
• Way forward Pg 13

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INTRODUCTION

• Purpose of this presentation is to formally
• Brief the Portfolio Committee on the process and
  objectives of ratifying the ICH Convention.
• The UNESCO Convention for the safeguarding of
  Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) was adopted on
  17 October 2003 in Paris.
• The Convention provides for the safeguarding,
  preservation and promotion of ICH.
• So far eighty eight (88) countries have ratified
  the Convention, twenty (20) of those are African
  states.

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BACKGROUND

• ICH refers to practices, representations,
  expressions, knowledge, skills as well as
  instruments, objects, artifact and cultural
  spaces associated with communities, groups and
  individuals and recognized as part of their
  cultural heritage.
• In South Africa, Intangible Cultural Heritage is
  commonly referred to as living heritage. The
  countrys living heritage is rich and diverse.
  Intangible Cultural Heritage talks to and is
  relevant to the majority of the countrys
  citizens.
• Among other measures, the convention obliges
  state parties to identify, define and device
  appropriate measures for its preservation.

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CONSULTATION

• The decision to ratify the convention was arrived
  at through a process of consultation, as well as
  based on a need to safeguard, and promote South
  Africas ICH.
• Consultations were held with a range of
  stakeholders, including civil society, statutory
  institutions, other government departments and
  practitioners in the field of ICH.

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CONSULTATION (CONTINUED)

• At a national consultative workshop held in
  Pretoria on 26-27 July 2007, over 250
  representatives of the sector were unanimous that
  the department should proceed to ratify the
  convention.
• The workshop encouraged government to move faster
  in the safeguarding, preservation and promotion
  of ICH as most of it is under threat of
  extinction.

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BENEFITS

• The ratification and implementation of the ICH
  convention presents opportunity for government
  to redress the current approach to heritage.
• It has potential to decolonize S.A. Heritage
  which is dominated by Monuments and Museums.
• Intangible Cultural Heritage can contribute to
  social cohesion and nation building.

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BENEFITS (CONTINUED)

• Some aspects of ICH, whether one talks of
  performances, rituals and rites of passage to
  name but a few, take place in a communal context,
  thereby foster communal cooperation.
• The National Policy will provide a systematic
  framework for preserving and promoting S.A.
  Intangible Cultural Heritage.
• Some elements of ICH are under threat of
  extinction, both the Convention and National
  Policy will assist in rejuvenating endangered
  heritage.

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REGIONAL COOPERATION

• The 2003 UNESCO Convention is explicit that its
  implementation should take place in the context
  of participation by communities, groups and non
  governmental organizations.
• The convention further promotes regional,
  continental and international cooperation in the
  safeguarding of ICH.
• South Africa shares borders with 6 countries
  namely Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana,
  Lesotho and Swaziland.
• Apart from sharing borders, South Africa also
  shares a lot of culture and heritage with these
  countries.
• Some of the advantages that will accrue to South
  Africa on ratification of the convention is that
  the country will be party to the sharing of
  international expertise and best practice.

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REGIONAL COOPERATION(CONTINUED)

• It will also intensify regional cooperation and
  integration on cultural matters.
• The Convention provides for two lists, a
  representative list and a list of ICH in need of
  urgent safeguarding.
• It provides for space to develop joint listing of
  ICH within the region.
• Implementation of the convention will require
  close collaboration with other national
  departments that do work pertaining to ICH, for
  example the Department of Science and Technology
  developed a national policy on Indigenous
  Knowledge Systems (IKS).

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NATIONAL POLICY ON ICH

• The Department of Arts and Culture is in the
  process of developing a national policy on
  Intangible Cultural Heritage.
• The policy will be a national framework that will
  set norms and standards for preservation,
  promotion and transmission.
• The national policy has potential to rectify the
  inequality between tangible and intangible
  heritage, and thereby contribute to the
  decolonization of South African Heritage.

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PROGRESS THUS FAR

• Legal opinions of consistency with domestic and
  international law obligations were obtained from
  the State Law Advisors of the Department of
  Justice, Foreign Affairs and Environmental
  Affairs and Tourism.
• The Department has finalized a Cabinet
  Memorandum.
• The Cabinet Memorandum was signed off by the
  Minister on the 5th October 2007.
• The Cabinet Memorandum was discussed at the
  Social Cluster on 17 October 2007.
• The recommendation was that the DAC and the
  Department of Trade and Industry further engage
  on the matter.

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WAY FORWARD

• Awaiting Cabinet decision.
• Completion and implementation of national policy.
• National Audit to establish size and extent of
  South Africas ICH.
• Will begin listing ICH soon after the ICH audit
  and inventory.

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ThankYou