adminand budgets for the five sectors of culture, education, natural sciences, social sciences and humanities and information for the biennium 2012-2013 .
The drafts programmes and budgets which were circulated to member states in June will be considered by the five commissions of the General Assembly where member states will be expected to indicate changes to the draft programmes and budgets they consider necessary as well as indicating areas they consider as priority in both funding and action.
Once adopted by the General Conference, the programmes will be implemented in the coming two years as activities at national level through the national commissions of Unesco, and by the Unesco field offices in different parts of the world as well as through other institutions of the organisation and its secretariat in Paris.
Each draft programme of the five sectors has been articulated with emphasis on biennial sectoral priorities. Also articulated are the main lines of action expected to be undertaken as well as the expected results at the end of the biennium. Performance indicators and benchmarks for each main line of action and for areas specified as Global Priority Africa and Global Priority Gender Equality are also articulated.
At its last meeting in June, the Specialised Standing Committee for Culture of the Zimbabwe National Commission for Unesco discussed the contents of Major Programme IV which is the programme for the Culture Sector. The committee agreed that artists, arts and culture organisations and institutions should be made aware that the committee was ready to receive proposals for country participation projects in the culture sectors for the 2012-2013 biennium.
The committee’s major task is to advise applicants on the nature or type of project proposals expected as well as to review the applications and advise on improvements that could be made on the project proposals before they are submitted for considerations by the National Commission for Unesco which selects suitable applications for submission to Unesco for funding consideration.
No project proposal will be considered by Unesco if it does not pass through the National Commission for Unesco. The national delegation to the General Conference will take along the selected proposals for country participation during the 2012-2013 biennium.
It is therefore expected that the National Commission for Unesco will receive proposals for country participation projects not only in the field of culture but also in the fields of education, natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, and information and communication.
The Specialised Standing Committee on Culture expects individual artists, arts and culture groups, organisations and institutions wishing to participate in implementing Unesco programmes in the 2012-2013 biennium will have submitted their project proposals to the committee before the end of August if they would like to be assisted by the committee. The committee is mandated to recommend project proposals in the culture sector that show potential to be selected by the National Commission for Unesco.
Some of the institutional members of the Specialised Standing Committee on Culture which can be approached for advise on the nature or format of applications for Unesco country participation projects includes the Department of Arts and Culture in the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture; the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe; the Museums and Monuments Commission; the National Gallery of Zimbabwe; the African Languages Research Institute of the University of Zimbabwe; the National Archives and the Zimbabwe Traditional Dancers Association.
Artists, arts and culture organisations and institutions can also secure information about applications for country participation projects from the National Commission for Unesco in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education.
Applicants can also obtain information about biennial sectorial priorities and main lines of action through the internet from Unesco 36 C/5 Major Programme IV which contains the biennial cultural sectorial priorities and main lines of actions as well as information on Global Priority Africa and Global Priority Gender Equality which spell out the type of activities that could be subjects for project proposals .
The first biennial sectorial priority is the protection and promotion of heritage and cultural expressions while the second is the advocacy for the inclusion of culture and inter-cultural dialogue in developing policies to foster a culture of peace and non-violence.
This means that one of the key priorities of Major Programme IV will be “the protection, conservation, safeguarding and promotion of heritage and cultural expressions in all forms, from cultural and natural heritage and underwater cultural heritage to living heritage and cultural industries.” Priority will therefore be given to projects that demonstrate the “pivotal role of cultural heritage and cultural expressions in sustainable development.”
The first main line of action in this regard will be the protection and conservation of cultural and natural heritage through effective implementation of the 1972 Convention. Some projects expected during the biennium will be those promoting heritage conservation as a key driver for sustainable development and the management of forces of tourism, urbanisation and climate change.
Also expected will be projects that deal with the promotion of social cohesion, dialogue and peace as well as those activities that prioritise the involvement of local people, youth and women in heritage protection and the provision of policy advice and guidelines on sustainable tourism management and the development of programmes for sustainable use of heritage.
The second main line of action will be on enhancing the protection of cultural property and fighting against its illicit traffic through the effective implementation on the Unesco 1954, 1970 and 2001
Conventions. Priority will be given to projects that will take into account needs of community members and their active participation in the design, planning, implementation and monitoring of heritage projects . Also expected will be projects that deal with the provision of technical support and expertise to Member States with regard to the formulation and implementation of their heritage laws .
The third main line of action is the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage through effective implementation of the 2003 Convention. Priority will given to projects that deal with the promotion of the awareness of the importance of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Projects dealing with the effective implementation and monitoring of Unesco‘s international standard – setting instruments in the field of culture will also receive attention.
With regards to the second biennial sectorial priority , among some of the projects expected will be those dealing with mainstreaming of culture in development policies and strategies at all levels; the protection of cultural diversity in all its forms; advocacy for the inclusion of culture and inter-cultural dialogue in development policies to foster a culture of peace and non-violence.
Projects that involve the mainstreaming of culture into national poverty reduction strategies as well as addressing the “interrelated cultural, economic, social and environment challenges to urbanisation and governance” will also be considered.
It is important to note that there are many main lines of action propose in Main Programme IV which suggests what projects would be considered. It is necessary therefore that those wishing to apply submit proposals for country participation projects study the draft programme adequately.
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Bongani Ndlovu