Presented during the VIVA EAST Thematic Seminar on Intangible Heritage, Cahul, Republic of Molvova, Sept. 2012 Author: Ghenadie Ivascenco

1. ICH:
Context of
Moldova

2. TOWARDS RECOGNIZING ICH
• 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention
• 1989 UNESCO Recommendation on
Safeguarding Traditional Culture & Folclore
• 1998 Stockholm Recommenation
• 2002 Istanbul Declaration
• 2003 UNESCO ICH Convention

3. 2003 ICH CONVENTION
• Adopted in Oct-2003 in Paris
• Entered into force in Apr-2006
• 144 countries ratified as at Aug-2012

4. UNESCO ICH LIST
• 27 elements – Need Urgent Safeguarding
+
• 215 elements – Representative List
as at August 2012

5. Moldova Context: RURALITY
• MD = most rural country in Europe
• Official Ruralization Trend (% rural population ↑
from 52.3% (1989) to 61% (2004)
• De-factor urbanisation = approx 30%
• >80% of population are living in settlements
<10,000 inhabit.
• >50% of urban population are born in rural area

6. Moldova Context: MULTICULTURALISM
• 75% of Moldovans/Romanians
• Bilingualism
• 20% ‘Russian speakers’ vs 5% of ethinic
Russians
• Important minority groups (compactly living) –
Gagauzians & Bulgarians

7. Moldova Context: ROMANIAN Origin
• Common history/culture with Romania
• Share the same ICH
• Controversial (political identity) RO vs MD

8. Moldova Context: Legal Context
• Ratified UNESCO ICH Convention (2006)
• Special Law on ICH (March 2012)
• Law on Craftsmanship (2003)
• Law on Museums (2002)
• Law on Culture (1999)
• Law on Archive (1992)

9. ICH Law: Goal
To ensure a national legal framework for
definition, identification, protection,
transmission, promotion, revitalization and
exploration of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

10. ICH Law: Definition
The totality of elements of traditional authentic
heritage, valuable from cultural and historical
perspective, transmitted oral from generation
to generation, expressed in literal, musical or
choreographic form, practices, representations,
expressions, knowledge, skills, as well as the
instruments, objects, artifacts and cultural
spaces associated therewith – that communities
and groups recognize as part of the heritage.

11. ICH Law: Domains Covered
• Oral expressions
• Music
• Social practices (ritual, festive events, customs)
• Cosmology and spiritual beliefs
• Traditional craftsmanship
• Gastronomy
• Traditional cultural institutions (’claca’, ‘sezatoarea’, etc.)
• Material meaning of ICH transmission

12. ICH Law: Tools
• Scientific Research
• National ICH Registry
• Honorific Title ‘Treasure Carrier Alive’
• Safeguarding & Revitalization measures
• Financing mechanisms

13. National ICH Registry
• Document in preparation (expeced in 2012)
• 2 Volumes:
- Vol 1: ICH related to Moldovans/Romanians
(approximately 400 ellements)
- Vol 2: ICH related to minorities

14. Work in Progress
• National Strategy on Safeguarding ICH

15. MD in UNESCO ICH List
• First element in preparation (‘colindatul in
ceata barateasca’) jointly with Romania
• 2 proper elements already introduced at the
innitiative of Romania (‘Doina’ & ‘Dansul
calutului’)

16. Thank you for attention!