Comoros strives to strengthen its legislative framework for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage © Centre National de Documentation et de Recherche Scientifique (CNDRS)

The Ministry of Youth, Sports, Professional Integration, Arts and Culture of Comoros and the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa co-organized from 20 to 22 November 2018, in Moroni, a national workshop for the elaboration of a strategic review document to strengthen the legislative framework for the safeguarding of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in Comoros.

The workshop aimed to provide an in-depth analysis of legislative and institutional frameworks in the Comoros; develop recommendations for the revision of legal frameworks with a view to strengthening the country’s implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage; and inform a strategic document for the safeguarding of living heritage in the Comoros.

Twenty participants from the three islands of the Union of the Comoros participated in the workshop; the national authorities responsible for culture (Department of Arts and Culture of Mohéli, Moroni and Anjouan); the University of Comoros; the CNDRS (National Center for Documentation and Scientific Research); the Comoros Collective; national experts; the Legal Advisor to the President of the Republic; the Legal Service of the General Secretariat of the Government; and a Deputy of the Republic of the Comoros.

Twenty participants from the three islands of the Union of the Comoros participated in the workshop; the national authorities responsible for culture (Department of Arts and Culture of Mohéli, Moroni and Anjouan); the University of Comoros; the CNDRS (National Center for Documentation and Scientific Research); the Comoros Collective; national experts; the Legal Advisor to the President of the Republic; the Legal Service of the General Secretariat of the Government; and a Deputy of the Republic of the Comoros.

The workshop is part of the UNESCO project “Strengthening capacities in the Comoros for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage for sustainable development”, funded by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, and will be followed by a national workshop on the preparation of a first inventory of intangible cultural heritage on the three islands of the country.