The Armenian delegation participated in the 11th session of the General Assembly of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

In his address, Armenia’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Aram Hakobyan, stated that safeguarding intangible cultural heritage remains one of the key priorities of Armenia’s cultural policy. He emphasized the importance of properly assessing the needs of local communities and protecting their cultural heritage.

Hakobyan also drew attention to the threats facing intangible cultural heritage as a result of conflicts and forced displacement. He called on UNESCO to provide more active support to displaced and refugee communities in order to help preserve endangered living heritage.

During the session, Naira Kilichyan, Head of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Department at Armenia’s Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, also delivered remarks. She highlighted the importance of cooperation with non-governmental organizations in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

As part of the session, the Armenian non-governmental organization “Culture for Sustainable Development” was accredited as an advisory NGO to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, in recognition of the organization’s professional expertise and activities in the field.