CCIVS is present in the third International Forum of NGOs in official partnership with UNESCO, on the theme “The role of youth in the safeguarding of tangible and intangible cultural heritage”. Yesterday we had the formal presentation in Sofía we then travelled to Plovdiv and onto Sozopol to start the events today.

The morning started with the sharing of best practices from 26 organisations to the plenary of 100 NGOs, representatives of the UNESCO and local authorities. CCIVS, IIWC and YAP Italy shared information about the work towards the World Heritage Volunteers programme. (www.whvolunteers.org)

A great presentation from Ismi Novia Director of IIWC member of CCIVS on which initiatives public and private are necessary to include young people in the protection of cultural heritage and awareness raising? A workshop session chaired by Prof. Kristin Kuutma (Estonia) President of the Estonian National Commission for UNESCO

(still waiting for Vicky’s confirmation for the author of these two quotes…)

‘Volunteers, they mobilise themselves all over the globe. Let's say the WHV campaign since 2008 and other volunteering projects on cultural topics even before the WHV campaign was announced. It has been since more than 90 years ago. They have been keeping their work in field service on a local level. Note only to do hands on activities in tangible heritages but also to learn, to understand the intangible aspects of a tangible heritage site. Often to be exposed in those local values and created dialogue. And their work remains, relatively, silent… ’

‘…so which initiatives public and private are needed to include young people in the safeguarding of cultural heritage a d awareness raising? For me it is to create a channel of communication between young people and public, private which is youth friendly. I also believe that UNESCO should take this role more and more. Especially in developing countries where most young people are there and most of them have limited access to meet their initiative with public and private sector agenda. ’