The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is taking active steps in building institutional capacities for safeguarding its living heritage.

A workshop on key concepts and implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at the national level is being held from 11 to 15 April in Skopje with the participation of national and local authorities, intangible cultural heritage bearers, civil society organizations and experts.

Introducing the main concepts and mechanisms of the convention, the workshop will discuss community-based inventorying, synergies with other UNESCO conventions, and include a field trip to enable participants to find linkages between the conceptual and practical application of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

Led by two UNESCO facilitators from the region, Nikolai Vukov and Sa?a Sre?kovi?, the workshop will test for the first time new training modules on intangible cultural heritage and sustainable development, as well as policy development needs.

Organized as part of UNESCO’s global capacity-building programme for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, the workshop is supported by the Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe under the auspices of UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the National Committee of the International Council for Traditional Music.