UNESCO: Morocco Elected in New Delhi to the Evaluation Body of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Mr Skounti secured 20 votes out of 24, an overwhelming majority that reflects the confidence the international community places in his expertise as well as in his professional and human qualities.

One of the drafters of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Professor Skounti teaches at the National Institute of Archaeological Sciences and Heritage in Rabat. He previously served on the Evaluation Body between 2015 and 2017, which he also chaired on two occasions.

In a statement to MAP, Mr Skounti said he was “extremely pleased” by the renewed confidence of the Intergovernmental Committee, stressing that this represents “both an honour and a responsibility”.

“An honour, because the members of the Committee expressed, through a very large majority vote, their confidence in Morocco’s candidate, which reflects the position the Kingdom holds within the Committee and, more broadly, within UNESCO,” he said.

He added that this responsibility falls within the highly technical role of the Evaluation Body, which is tasked with examining applications submitted for inscription on the lists governed by the 2003 Convention, or on the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices, as well as requests for assistance from the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund.

“It is a rigorous process, carried out collectively, which consists of verifying the compliance of each file with the established criteria and submitting recommendations to the Intergovernmental Committee, which then decides whether to inscribe, refer or not inscribe the applications,” he explained.

The election of Mr Skounti strengthens Morocco’s presence within the bodies of the 2003 Convention and confirms the active role played by the Kingdom in its implementation.

Editorial team/le7tv