UNESCO is launching a call for expressions of interest to expand the Global Network of Facilitators of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

To support States in building human and institutional capacities for safeguarding living heritage at national level, in 2009 UNESCO put in place the Global capacity-building programme. Under this Programme, UNESCO and its partners provide capacity building on the core actions for safeguarding living heritage and in various thematic areas related to living heritage and sustainable development. The Programme is demand driven and has provided over 130 countries with tailored capacity-building support through a combination of training, advisory services, stakeholder consultation, and pilot activities.

The Programme delivery relies on UNESCO’s Global Network of Facilitators - a network of experts in the field of intangible cultural heritage trained by UNESCO and familiar with the Convention and its capacity-building approaches and materials.

As States Parties are requesting UNESCO to broaden the thematic scope to include more materials related to safeguarding ICH and sustainable development, there is also an equivalent need to strengthen the Facilitators Network to ensure that these new themes are effectively delivered, when requested by States.

To meet these growing geographic and thematic demands, as well as provide countries with a choice of competent facilitators who have the geographic and country-specific knowledge, UNESCO is seeking to strengthen and expand the Facilitators Network. Interested experts in the field of intangible cultural heritage are invited to submit their application to join the Network, by 15 August 2022.

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