The training course on the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage launched

On October 13, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, and in partnership with the Copyright Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Creative Industries Federation, “Global Communications and Innovations” company launched the next, 4th training course within the framework of the “Development of Heritage Governance Skills” training program. The subject of the training course covers UNESCO’s “2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage”.

Vasif Eyvazzade, Chairman of the Board of Azerbaijan Creative Industries Federation, Head of the Training Program, opened the training course, welcomed the participants and informed about the previous three training courses devoted to relevant UNESCO conventions that Azerbaijan joined, which were carried out with the support of the Ministry of Culture within the framework of the “Development of Heritage Governance Skills” training program. Speaking about the agenda and subject plan of the training course on the theme of UNESCO’s “2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage”, he underlined the important thematic directions for the training modules and also introduced the experts of the Traditional Arts Association of Turkey as the trainers of the training course. He wished the participants success in the learning process.

Welcoming the participants in the training course, the Deputy Minister of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mrs. Sevda Mammadaliyeva greeted the guest trainers from Turkey, as well as the training participants, and wished success to the work of the “Development of Heritage Governance Skills” training program implemented with the support of the Ministry of Culture. He talked about Azerbaijan-UNESCO relations and work, preparation processes of nomination files on the way to include examples of national, multinational and urgent protection lists in the representative list of intangible heritage examples of UNESCO. Noting that 15 examples of intangible heritage of Azerbaijan have been included in the representative list of intangible heritage of UNESCO, she said that several more examples of national heritage will be included in the list this year. Mrs. Mammadaliyeva also spoke about joint cooperation with Turkey in this direction and noted that this cooperation will be continued in new projects and initiatives. In the end, talking about the exceptional role and services as a goodwill ambassador of UNESCO of the First Vice-President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation – Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, in the field of developing Azerbaijan-UNESCO relations, she expressed her hope that such trainings, projects and initiatives will have important contributions in the direction of building capacities for further strengthening international cultural cooperation.

As a partner of the training course, the head of the Administration of the Copyright Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Khudayat Hasanli, said that UNESCO’s “2003 Convention on the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage” is an important international document for the protection, transmission and preservation of intangible cultural heritage samples. Noting the role and activities of the Copyright Agency, along with other responsible institutions in this process, and the inter-agency joint work process in registering intangible heritage samples, he also emphasized the importance of continuing future joint cooperation in this direction with new projects and initiatives. Speaking about the recent meeting between Azerbaijan Creative Industries Federation and the Copyright Agency, Mr. Hasanli noted that a joint tripartite work plan was prepared on the current issues discussed. He thanked the Ministry of Culture and the organizers for such training initiatives, which will support the development of heritage governance skills, and wished the training participants success in the learning process.

Then, the Turkish trainers, Dr. Aslihan Erkmen Birkandan, Senior Lecturer in History of Art at Istanbul Technical University, Fine Arts Department (PhD), critic, associate professor, as well as the vice chairman of the Turkish Traditional Arts Association passed the training course on the topics of the first module of the training course. Speaking about universal topics such as what is intangible heritage, examples of intangible heritage, the importance of its protection, he spoke about international, Turkish and Azerbaijani examples of intangible heritage. By providing information about the main provisions of the 2003 Convention, the participating countries, categories and areas of intangible heritage, she spoke about the main tasks and responsibilities undertaken by the institutions in this field. At the end, an online question-and-answer quiz was held to test the knowledge of the first module.

In the second half of the day, Ms. Sona Tomach, an employee of the Traditional Arts Association of Turkey, spoke about the main provisions of the Convention and operational guidelines related to the Convention. She gave information about the procedures for the relevant listing of the Convention (application, evaluation and approval), timelines, criteria and obligations, monitoring and self-assessment procedures of the countries in the subsequent stages. Support mechanisms for supporting items on the urgent protection list and available opportunities for assistance projects were discussed. At the end, the knowledge of the subject held in the second module was tested by means of an online quiz. At the end of the day, Dr. Aslihan Erkmen talked about the process of accreditation of Turkey’s Traditional Arts Association as an intangible heritage organization of UNESCO.

The training course was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan and its regional departments and cultural institutions, the State Tourism Agency, the Azerbaijan State University of Culture and Arts, “ABAD” public legal entity, the State Agency for Vocational Education under the Ministry of Education, the Special Representation of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the liberated territories of the Karabakh Economic Region, Shusha City State Reserve conservation department, the “Icherisheher” State Historical-Architectural Reserve Administration, Heydar Aliyev Center, the Institute of Manuscripts of ANAS, Azerbaijan Culinary Specialists Association, Arts Council Azerbaijan, and Azerbaijan Composers’ Union.