Year of creation: 2011

The functions of the centre are:

(a) instigate and coordinate research into practices of safeguarding ICH elements present in the South-Eastern European countries, as referred to in Articles 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the 2003 Convention; 182 EX/20 Part VIII – page 2;

(b) organize training courses on the following subjects:

     (i) The 2003 Convention and its Operational Directives;

     (ii) Different examples of policies including legal, administrative, technical and financial measures fostering the safeguarding of ICH;

     (iii) Introduction to UNESCO publications on identification and documentation of ICH and their application in the field;

     (iv) Safeguarding ICH through formal and non-formal education;

(c) enhance international and regional cooperation through networking with institutions active in the domain of ICH, notably those established under the auspices of UNESCO (category 2), in order to coordinate activities, exchange information and knowledge concerning the safeguarding of ICH, and promote good practices. The centre’s activities and programmes shall be carried out in conformity with the 2003 Convention and, in particular, its purposes and objectives and definitions (Articles 1 and 2).

Participating countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey

Offical Website: www.unesco-centerbg.org