Rules of Procedure of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.pdf

Adopted by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at its first session (Algiers, Algeria, 18 to 19 November 2006), amended at its second extraordinary session (Sofia, Bulgaria, 18 to 22 February 2008), at its third session (Istanbul, Turkey, 4 to 8 November 2008), at its fifth session (Nairobi, Kenya, 15 to 19 November 2010), at its eighth session (Baku, Azerbaijan, 2 to 7 December 2013), at its tenth session (Windhoek, Namibia, 30 November to 4 December 2015) and at its twelfth session (Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, 4 to 9 December 2017

I Membership

Rule 1 The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (Article 5 of the Convention)

The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, known as the ‘Intangible Heritage Committee’ and hereinafter referred to as the ‘Committee’, is composed of the States Parties to the Convention elected in accordance with Article 5 of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, hereinafter referred to as the ‘Convention’.

II Sessions

Rule 2 Ordinary and extraordinary sessions

2.1 The Committee shall meet at least once a year in ordinary session.

2.2 The Committee shall meet in extraordinary session at the request of at least two-thirds of the States Members.

Rule 3 Convocation

3.1 Sessions of the Committee shall be convened by the Chairperson of the Committee, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Chairperson’, in consultation with the Director-General of UNESCO, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Director-General’.

3.2 The Director-General shall inform the States Members of the Committee of the date, place and provisional agenda of each session, not fewer than sixty days in advance in the case of an ordinary session and, if possible, not fewer than thirty days in advance in the case of an extraordinary session.

3.3 The Director-General shall, at the same time, inform the States, organizations and individuals mentioned in Rules 6, 7 and 8 of the date, place and provisional agenda of each session.

Rule 4 Date and place of the session

4.1 The Committee shall determine at each session, in consultation with the Director-General, the date and place of the next session. The Bureau may, if necessary, modify the date and/or place, in consultation with the Director-General.

4.2 Any State Member of the Committee may invite the Committee to hold an ordinary session in its territory.

4.3 In determining the place of the next ordinary session, the Committee shall give due regard to the need to ensure an equitable rotation among the different regions of the world.

III Participants

Rule 5 Delegations

5.1 Each State Member of the Committee shall be represented by one delegate, who may be assisted by alternates, advisers and experts.

5.2 States Members of the Committee shall choose as their representatives persons who are qualified in the various fields of the intangible cultural heritage (Article 6.7 of the Convention).

5.3 States Members of the Committee shall transmit to the Secretariat in writing the names, designations and qualifications of their representatives.

5.4 In order to ensure a fair representation within the Committee of the various geographical areas, the Committee shall allocate in its budget a sum intended to cover the cost of participation, in its sessions and in meetings of its Bureau, of representatives of developing States Members, but only for persons who are experts in intangible cultural heritage. If the budget allows, developing countries that are parties to the Convention but not members of the Committee may also receive assistance; such assistance shall be granted to experts in intangible cultural heritage only.

5.5 Requests for assistance to participate in Bureau and Committee meetings should reach the Secretariat at least eight weeks before the session concerned. Such requests shall be considered within the limits of available resources, as decided by the Committee, in increasing order of GNP per capita of each State Member of the Committee. As a rule, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund shall not finance more than one representative per State.