Context of our cooperation

SOZOPOL — BULGARIA

24 July 2013

Context of our cooperation

Recent developments in the life of the Convention and the Organization

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© All Rights Reserved: UNESCO/ ICH

37 C/4 (2014-2021)

• Capacity of UNESCO to engage more closely with UNESCO category 2 centres needs to be boosted

• UNESCO will need to act increasingly as the moderator and instigator of a multifaceted, energized global network

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SO 7: Heritage

• Asset for promoting social stability, building peace, recovery from crisis situations, and development strategies

• Essential for promoting peace and sustainable societal, environmental and economic development

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SO 7 outcomes

• Heritage integrated in post-2015 agenda

• Safeguarding strengthened

• Intentional destruction monitored

• Culture in disaster risk reduction

• Reconciliation enhanced

• Youth engaged

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SO 8: Creativity

• Renewable resource for problem solving

• ICH for improvement of social cohesion and well-being

• Particular attention to indigenous people, women and youth

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SO 8 outcomes

• Creativity promoted especially among vulnerable groups

• Access to cultural life enhanced

• Social and economic conditions improved

• ICH skills safeguarded

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Focus

• Improve the relevance, coherence and focus of UNESCO’s programme

• Whether from Headquarters, Field Offices, category 1 and category 2 centres, or intergovernmental programmes

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Budget 2014-2015

• Culture initial budget: US$54.1M

• Revised: US$38.8M

• 28% decrease

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37 C/5 MLA 2: Creativity

‘Supporting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions, the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and the development of cultural and creative industries’

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Partnerships

‘Partnerships with other UN, international and regional organizations as well as with civil society networks will be established for the implementation of both Conventions at the country level and synergies will be pursued’

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Expected result 6:

‘National capacities strengthened to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage, including indigenous and endangered languages, through the effective implementation of the 2003 Convention’

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Indicators

• Governing bodies of the 2003 Convention supported through the effective organization of their statutory meetings (2 GA + 4 COM)

• National policies (30) and human and institutional resources for intangible cultural heritage developed and/or strengthened (50)

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Indicators

• Number of safeguarding plans developed and/or implemented (200)

• Number of international assistance requests processed (50) and effectively implemented (30), nominations processed (180) and best practices promoted (5)

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Indicators

• Number of periodic reports (100) on the implementation of the Convention provided by Parties analysed and monitored (50 gender)

• Number of States Parties to the Convention increased (15)

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Indicators

• Number of organizations within and outside the United Nations system, civil society, and the private sector contributing to programme delivery (100 + 7)

• Knowledge produced by all stakeholders (200) available through the knowledge-management system

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IOS Review 2011

• C2Cs form an important part of UNESCO’s network and represent, in principle, an effective partnership model

• Significant potential to contribute to the achievement of UNESCO’s strategic programme objectives

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However…

• Nearly half are still not operational and the Secretariat has yet to harness their full potential

• Present management framework sets clear overall boundaries and principles for engagement, but improved operationalization is needed in a number of areas

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And…

• While some sectors have made progress in developing sectoral strategies, other sectors are lagging behind

• Programme sectors also need to ensure that their reporting and communication documents contain information on the contribution of C2Cs to the sectors’ programmatic objectives

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Finally…

• Review Committee could be established to strengthen the inception and review phases

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UK NATCOM 2012

• C2Cs significant, largely underutilised resource

• Rapid growth evidences enthusiasm

• Network under growing reputational risk and placing increased pressure on UNESCO’s core resources

• Urgent changes required to address these risks and capitalise on potential benefits

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Recommendations

• Implement findings of the 2011 IOS Review

• Include C2Cs in the development of the UNESCO partnership network

• Apply the Integrated Comprehensive Strategy for C2Cs

• Develop UNESCO sector strategies for C2Cs

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Recommendations

• Strengthen C2C status renewal procedures

• Improve monitoring and transparency of the C2C system

• Review all existing C2C agreements and restrain current network growth

• Evaluate and reduce the cost of the C2C network to UNESCO

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190 EX/Decision 18

37 GC to amend current Integrated Comprehensive Strategy to:

• further strengthen category 2 status renewal procedures

• improve alignment of C2Cs’ operations with UNESCO’s results-based management approach and sectoral strategies

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190 EX/Decision 18

• strengthen monitoring and reporting requirements of the network

• reduce the cost to UNESCO of maintaining network in terms of human and financial resources

DG to report at 191 EX on the full cost of C2Cs to UNESCO, including staff time

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191 EX/Decision 14

• Takes note of overall cost (US$1.6M) and average per centre (US$20K)

• DG to report at 192 EX on:

• full cost from the regular budget of maintaining and coordinating the C2Cs,

• implementation of 2011 IOS recommendations aimed at reducing financial and administrative impact on UNESCO’s limited resources

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IOS Audit 2013

• Situation unsustainable

• Reduce frequency and duration of meetings of governing bodies?

• Synchronize the meetings of the General Assemblies?

• Temporarily suspend fresh nominations?

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IOS Audit 2013

• Use more sponsors for meeting expenses, including for translation and interpretation

• Opportunity for common platform for support services

• Alternative funding should be considered

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IOS Evaluation 2013

• 2003 Convention highly relevant international legal instrument

• Contributes to recognize UNESCO as leader in the field of cultural heritage

• 2003 Convention has significantly broadened the international discourse around the definition and meaning of cultural heritage

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• Majority of States Parties have integrated Convention’s provisions in cultural policies and laws following ratification

• Integration of provisions of the Convention in policies and laws other than culture (agriculture, health, tourism, etc.) remains a challenge

IOS Evaluation 2013

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• In many countries Government institutions lack financial and human resources to successfully implement the Convention

• UNESCO has put in place an extensive world-wide capacity-building programme with a network of qualified experts

IOS Evaluation 2013

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• While RL has contributed to increasing visibility of the Convention and to raising awareness about ICH, its relative importance is overrated

• 2003 Convention closely linked to the 1972 and 2005 Conventions as well as to some work of the World Intellectual Property Organization

IOS Evaluation 2013

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• The Convention lacks a monitoring and evaluation framework with objectives, indicators and benchmarks, making it difficult to measure and demonstrate results

• NGOs are recognized to play an important role in the implementation of the Convention at the country level

IOS Evaluation 2013

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• Work of Secretariat considered to be of high quality

• Its services are much appreciated by States Parties, who consider the Secretariat to be professional, efficient and responsive

• However, it lacks resources, which has put constraints on the number of nominations and proposals processed and on other activities

IOS Evaluation 2013

Documents

Context of our cooperation