Engabu Za Tooro Executive Director and African Continental Crafts Founder, Stephen Rwagweri officially adopted in the UNESCO's global network of ICH facilitators

Stephen Rwagweri attending the meeting

Stephen Rwagweri has been officially adopted in the UNESCO's global network of ICH facilitators during the 4 days UNESCO's global network of ICH facilitators meeting in Doula Cameroon from 18^th to 21^st December, 2023. In the meeting, Africa was represented by Uganda, Kenya, Zambia and Burkina Faso and each country was represented by one delegate. Uganda was represented by Stephen Rwagweri.

Mr Stephen Rwagweri was officially adopted in the UNESCO's global network of ICH facilitators. He specializes in development of artisanal and cultural enterprises, designing innovations in artisanal sector and facilitating implementation of UNESCO core ICH mechanisms including inventories, nominations, programme elaboration, implementation, and project and periodic reporting throughout the world in countries which have ratified the UNESCO’s 2003 Convention. According to Stephen, “Through this UNESCO global network of ICH facilitators, we hope to access public mechanisms to support social impact scaling of our African Continental Crafts enterprise and other enterprises specializing in development of artisanal and cultural enterprises, designing innovations in artisanal sector and facilitating implementation of UNESCO core ICH mechanisms”

UNESCO Certificate

Capacity building is one of the five functions that UNESCO performs to fulfill its mandate. As such, one of the top priorities for implementing the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is its global capacity-building programme. The Programme was put in place in 2009 to support countries in safeguarding their intangible cultural heritage and harness its potential for sustainable development, while promoting broad public knowledge and support for the Convention.

The 2003 Convention places communities at the center of all its safeguarding activities. The capacity-building programme takes an inclusive approach to ensure the widest possible participation of all relevant stakeholders, especially relevant community groups, in the design and implementation of safeguarding activities.

The capacity building program develops community-based inventorying and safeguarding methods, supports the ability of States to effectively implement the Convention, integrate the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage into sustainable development plans, policies and programmes at all levels, strengthens institutional frameworks to help safeguard intangible cultural heritage and enhances monitoring for the implementation of the Convention.

Stephen Rwagweri in Doula, Cameroon

The Programme offers capacity-building services at country level, combining training, advisory services, stakeholder consultation and pilot activities. These can be adapted to specific country needs and thematic topics, always with the view to ensuring the continued impact and sustainability of safeguarding measures at national level.