This week concludes the training of the main Guatemalan actors related to ICH: national and municipal officials, as well as bearers and representatives of civil society. From April 25 to 27, the last of six training workshops will be held in Guatemala City in the framework of the project on Strengthening local capacities for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage of Guatemala. The training focuses on the preparation of safeguarding plans according to the principles of the 2003 Convention. During the course of 2017, a total of 97 key actors were trained on the basic principles of the 2003 Convention and on the design of community-based methodologies for the preparation of inventories and safeguarding plans. In addition to the theoretical training, two pilot inventories were carried out, for - the techniques of the Pottery of Santa Apolonia and the “Pilgrimage of the Black Christ” of Esquipulas.

These activities are intended to strengthen institutional, technical and human capacities for the effective implementation of the Convention at national and local levels. They also helped to promote the participation of communities in the safeguarding mechanisms of their ICH.