Isaura Daniel*
São Paulo – Brazil, Algeria and the United Arab Emirates are going to work together for the preservation of cultural manifestations in danger of extinction in the world. They were chosen last week, together with another 15 countries, to make part of a committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), which is going to set out the actions for preservation of the co-called intangible cultural heritage. Dances and regional music, for example, are considered intangible cultural goods.
As well as the three countries, also part of the group are Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Estonia, Gabon, Hungary, India, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Romania, Senegal, Turkey and Vietnam. This committee is going to work planning actions for the Unesco International Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which was created to care for the matter within the organisation. The committee was established with the idea of having representatives of the various regions of the world, according to a diplomat of the Unesco delegation in Brazil, Silvia Witaker.
For the Arab countries, according to Silvia, who followed the process of forming the committee, there were two positions, which were taken by the Emirates and Algeria, in a consensus amongst representatives of the region. Syria should also become a member when the number of positions is increased. Brazil, Mexico and Peru were elected representatives of the American continent. Bolivia was also a candidate. "Every one has riches, important work with intangible heritage," explains the Brazilian diplomat.
Brazil, according to Silvia, is ahead of its time in preservation of cultural manifestations. The country has, for example, an advanced legislation in the field. In August 2000, a national programme for intangible heritage was created. With this, the National Institute of Artistic and Historical Heritage (Iphan) started registering the various existing cultural movements in the country. It is registered at Iphan, for example, the process by which are produced and sold, the palm oil food of Bahia (Northeast Brazil), like the acarajé.
Also registered at Iphan is the way the viola-de-cocho, a musical guitar that is handmade from raw materials of the Midwest of Brazil. It is carved out from a single piece of wood. The Iphan has also registered the religious celebration of Our Lady of Nazaré, which takes place in Belém do Pará, in the North of Brazil; how the clay pans are made in the city of Goiabeiras Velhas, in the state of Espírito Santo, Southeast Brazil; and the samba de roda festivities in Bahia.
At Unesco
The Unesco is going to work to protect popular expressions like these that are endangered. The aim, according to the Brazilian diplomat, is to allow for the continuity of these activities in society. Normally, intangible heritage are manifestations and behaviours that are passed from generation to generation, from parents to their children.
The Unesco approved the creation of the International Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in October 2003. It became effective, however, in March this year, after the member countries ratified it, according to their internal legislations. The formation of the committee that will work in tracing and preserving intangible cultural heritage was made in the first assembly of the convention, which happened last week, in France.
*Translated by Silvia Lindsey