Be the first to comment!Board set up to implement intangible cultural heritage policy
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A board has been set up tasked with implementing the national intangible cultural heritage policy. the Minister for Justice, Culture and Local Government Owen Bonnici announced on Friday.
It has been set up following the advice of UNESCO nominated expert Marina Calvo, who was in Malta earlier this year to provide the Culture Directorate with guidance on how to establish a national structure to start the process of a national inventory.
The board, chaired by Frank Zammit, includes Dr J.P. Baldacchino, Joseph Magro Conti, Kenneth Gambin, Mario Azzopardi as its members, and Melanie Ciantar Harrington as secretary.
Applications will be received by the board, and it will also make its recommendations on the proposals forwarded by the community to be included in the national inventory.
The Minister explained that following this process, a number of elements of our cultural heritage will be proposed for nomination to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage, hence gaining worldwide recognition.
Nominations can be submitted for the three following categories:
(a) Intangible cultural heritage elements which need immediate protection to ensure they are not lost;
(b) A representative list of intangible cultural heritage elements that strengthen diversity in community and also the need to increase awareness on the importance of this element;
(c) A good practice register, including programmes, projects and activities, which are occurring in the intangible cultural heritage sector, so that through these good practices they are passed on from one generation to another.
In March 2017, the Maltese Parliament unanimously approved to ratify the 2003 UNESCO Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
“Following the official ratification through UNESCO, the process to safeguard and promote our intangible cultural heritage could begin,” said Minister Bonnici.
The Ministry has created a website to serve as a guide for interested applicants.
The Culture Directorate will also be offering assistance to those interested. Please contact the directorate on 25674340 or at ich.malta@gov.mt.
Photograph: DOI/Omar Camilleri
