A message to the Unesco 2003 convention from Flanders
We, Arno, Kari, Inge and Sophie, from the Flanders Department of Culture, Youth and Media wish the Unesco 2003 convention and all ICH enthusiasts worldwide a very happy 20th anniversary!!
As a small but dedicated group in our Department, we feel very lucky to be able to work on ICH activities on a daily basis: the ICH Inventory, our grants for the passing on of craftsmanship, being the focal point for Flanders and preparing UNESCO nominations for the list, just to name a few.
We also feel very rich in having a broad support model in Flanders , with a network of organisations supporting heritage communities in the safeguarding of their heritage. Eight of them are also UNESCO accredited. Flanders is a strong believer as to the role of NGOs in the implementation of the convention, so we firmly support initiatives that help to reinforce the role of NGOs.
Workshop intangible heritage fulfils an important coordinating role and engine function within the network in Flanders and our Department would like to thank Jorijn Neyrinck and her colleagues for the very fruitful cooperation. We also feel proud of the leading role Workshop intangible heritage has taken in helping to develop initiatives for the 2003 convention anniversary.
In the coming years we want to further strengthen our ICH policy and instruments: improving our current policy instruments, but also creating new ones, or linking them in a more integrated approach. As to financing, heritage communities and heritage practitioners often do not find appropriate funding channels within the existing frameworks. So enhancing heritage communities and their practices is a major goal for Flanders for the coming years.
Right from the start Flanders has taken an active role on the international forum. We are looking forward to seeing the European Network of Focal Points to be further developed in the coming years.
We invite everyone to read about our plans and ideas for the coming years:
