POLICY

On 7 March 2017, the Maltese Parliament unanimously approved ratifying the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, thus becoming the 173rd country to ratify this -convention.

This Convention established a new and holistic approach to cultural heritage, as well as a new set of administrative and legal instruments and strategies for the identification, safeguarding, management and promotion of intangible cultural heritage.

While articulating the idea of the growing importance of the intangible cultural heritage, the Ministry for Justice, Culture and Local Government delegates the Directorate of Culture to be the official body:

  • to conceptualize the elements of the intangible heritage in the framework of the national cultural policy;

  • administer a strategy for the identification, preservation, management and promotion of intangible cultural heritage;

  • encourages communities and individuals to nominate elements to be included in the national inventory;

  • administratively supports the National Board that decides those elements that have deep roots in our culture and deserve the distinction of prestige worthy of protection and promotion on a national and global scale;

  • following the recommendation of the National Board, the Directorate supervises, facilitates and supports the application of those elements that deserve to be listed in the UNESCO world heritage list for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage;

  • if and when an element is recognized as national and international heritage, the Directorate of Culture shall be the institution that cooperates and monitors the administrative and legal aspects both at the international and at the national level. This should be done in close collaboration with the relevant Educational Institutions, NGOs, Local Councils, Regional Committees, Communities and Experts who should be the partners in the safeguarding process;

  • through instruments of bilateral cultural agreements with different countries and international organizations, should seek assistance for the safeguarding of the national intangible cultural heritage, especially for those traditions, activities and practices that are declared to be in need of Urgent Safeguarding .

The identification of Intangible Cultural Heritage

According to the resolutions of the Convention, “intangible cultural heritage” is defined as all practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as instruments, objects, artefacts and the cultural spaces associated with them – which communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. This intangible cultural heritage, transmitted from generation to generation, is constantly recreated by communities and groups in response to their environment, their interaction with nature and their history, providing them with a sense of identity and continuity, thus promoting respect for cultural diversity and human creativity. (Article 2 of the Convention).

The “intangible cultural heritage” is manifested in the following five areas:

  • oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of intangible cultural heritage;

  • performing arts;

  • social practices, rituals and festive events

  • knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe;

  • traditional craft.

In this context, Malta encourages researchers, NGOs, communities and individuals to come forward and identify the various elements of our national intangible cultural heritage. In this regard, a National Inventory is set up to embrace traditions, activities and practices recognized as intangible cultural heritage of national importance.

The Minister responsible for Culture shall nominate a National Board to evaluate and decide on any expression of interest submitted in this regard. It should be the responsibility of this National Board to authorize the Directorate of Culture to include every tradition, activity and practice that should be included in the National Inventory.

The traditions, activities and practices that should be recognized for inclusion in the National Inventory should be those that identify us as a nation state. Although Malta has a long history, dating back thousands of years, geographically located between three continents and colonized by different potentates for many years, our people have still managed to develop distinctive elements of intangible cultural heritage that have been passed down from generation to generation . next

The National Inventory must honor these distinctive elements for safeguarding.

Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage

By “safeguarding” one means measures aimed at ensuring the viability of intangible cultural heritage, including identification, documentation, research, preservation, protection, promotion, enhancement , transmission, particularly through formal and non-formal education, as well as revitalization. of the various aspects of this heritage.

The Government, through the Directorate of Culture, must ensure that every tradition, activity and practice on the National Inventory, is safeguarded by integrating the process of safeguarding this heritage in:

  • any planning program;

  • the school curriculum, where students encounter examples of intangible cultural heritage on the National Inventory and are taught the need to safeguard those practices that help in transmission from one generation to the next;

  • scientific, technical and artistic studies, and research methodologies, with a view to effective safeguarding, in particular the intangible cultural heritage in danger of extinction;

  • legislation, technical and administrative measures aimed at:

  • fostering the creation or strengthening of institutions for training in the management of the intangible cultural heritage and the transmission of this heritage through forums and spaces intended for its realization or expression;

  • ensuring access to intangible cultural heritage while respecting the customary practices governing access to specific aspects of this heritage;

  • establish documentation institutions for the intangible cultural heritage and facilitate access to them; and

  • capacity building exercises to support this safeguard policy.

Management of Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Intangible Cultural Heritage is an important part of our heritage from the past, what we live with today and what we have to pass on to future generations. It is an irreplaceable reference point of our identity.

Managing intangible cultural heritage is not easy if communities do not embrace the value of this heritage. To succeed, it is the communities that must take charge of these issues and fully understand the responsibility to preserve the knowledge gained by past generations and transmit them to future ones. This can only be achieved with active citizenship. Local Councils and Regional Committees must be at the forefront to empower their communities to be proud of the traditions, activities and practices that characterize their locality and way of life.

The role of the Directorate of Culture should be to support communities through ethnographic research, fiscal incentives to spread traditions, activities and practices and raise the profile of the element to national consciousness and where possible for international awareness.

Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Through collaboration with local councils and NGOs, the Directorate of Culture should embark on a vast lifelong learning program in the communities of Malta and Gozo to:

  • involve them actively in the management of the elements,

  • encourage non-formal means of knowledge transmission through all forms of media,

  • be active in raising awareness about any danger that threatens the elements as soon as possible, and

  • help such communities develop safeguarding skills and competences.

In addition, the state can give official recognition to the importance of safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage with a museum that registers interactively with the public, all the elements recognized on the National Inventory. In the same, the museum preserves any literature documenting the origin, preservation and methodology of transmission of traditions, activities and practices.

This institution should then be the main source for future epistemology research on these elements.

Similar to the noble practice in the tangible cultural heritage, the business community should be proud and contribute to the financing of the safeguarding and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage as part of their social responsibility.

Conclusion

Safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage does not correspond to the fixed preservation of a tradition at a particular point in time or style. On the other hand, one is aware of the fact that with globalization and various other forms of modernization, various elements of our intangible cultural heritage are in a state of decline or change, or under increasing pressure of death natural. One can take as an example, various trades and traditional crafts; oral expressions and sayings; children’s games; agricultural and fishing techniques; traditional culinary and much more.

The recognition of these elements on the National Inventory should bring prestige and prestige brings attention from the media, the general public as well as community members. Prestige, honor, recognition and attention should make cultural practitioners proud of what they do. They will be energizing their own efforts to continue, transmit and even extend their traditions; therefore the preservation of elements that make us Maltese and proud of our culture will be safeguarded.

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