Singing from the pearl fishers and lute music (Paris, France – May 7th, 2011)
Twenty-five singers, musicians and members of the chorus make up the traditional group Qalali. Surely you wouldn’t know them, and yet they are a group of marvellous artists, widely known in their country, the Bahrain archipelago. Run to the House of World Cultures to listen to these splendid voices while singing the ancient fishing of the pearls. With this concert, you will also find out the music of `ûd, the Arab lute that accompanies the poems which are sung to the rhythm of drums and hand clasps. Beyond the beauty of the resulting combination, this is an opportunity to be transported to this mythical kingdom of the thousand oases and to discover a wealthy and little known eastern culture…
+ info: http://email.message-business.com/PublishEmail.aspx?opid=0D410D3CC86E6DEC00&ctid=Q-p8Lc0B9V7

Intangible cultural heritage in South-East Europe. Strengthening national capacities and regional cooperation
The UNESCO Venice Office, together with the Ministry of Culture and Information of Serbia, will organize from 11 to 14 May 2011 in Belgrade, Serbia, the fifth annual seminar on Intangible cultural heritage in South-East Europe. This regional meeting will offer an opportunity to present and discuss, in a comparative and informative way, the implementation of national measures for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage. The meeting will also offer a platform of discussion and exchange of information on the inventorying- making process, a key element in the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage. Finally, it will be an opportunity to discuss future joint activities in the area of training and capacity-building, to be developed in conjunction with the Sofia Regional Center on intangible cultural heritage, recognized as regional Category 2 Center, placed under the auspices of UNESCO.
+ info: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/venice/about-this-office/single-view/news/seminar

Cours à distance offert par l'Université Laval (Québec, Canada): Patrimoine culturel des francophones en Amérique du nord
Ce cours vise à sensibiliser l'étudiant à la richesse et à la diversité du patrimoine culturel immobilier (sites, bâtiments), mobilier (?uvres artistiques, meubles, vêtements, artefacts) et immatériel (traditions orales, savoir-faire, rites, festivals, chanson, musique, danse) des francophones de l'Amérique du Nord. Il s'agit de mieux connaître les principaux biens patrimoniaux de l'Acadie, du Québec, de l'Ouest canadien, de la Louisiane, de la Nouvelle-Angleterre, de la Floride et des autres régions francophones de l'Amérique du Nord. Plus encore, l'étudiant apprend comment les francophones investissent dans des biens matériels et des pratiques sociales pour construire leur patrimoine et en faire de puissants marqueurs de leur identité.
+ info: http://www.distance.ulaval.ca/fad/cours/ETN-1107.htm

Thailand's Unique Royal Projects - Village-based community development projects
His Majesty King Bhumibhol Adulyadej and members of Thailand’s Royal Family have set up numerous village-based community development projects nationwide which are now open for small-scale tourism. They provide unique insights into the King’s concept of a sufficiency economy and are models of alternative economic development.
+ info: http://www.travel-impact-newswire.com/thailands-unique-royal-projects/

Association pour l'inscription de la porcelaine de limoges au patrimoine immateriel de l'UNESCO
Objet : protéger la porcelaine de limoges en obtenant son inscription au patrimoine immatériel de l’unesco ; préserver les savoir-faire essentiels à la fabrication de la porcelaine de limoges ; tisser des liens avec l’ensemble des acteurs et toutes personnes concernées et intéressées par cette démarche indispensable pour sauvegarder la porcelaine de limoges.
+ info: http://www.net1901.org/association/ASSOCIATION-POUR-LINSCRIPTION-DE-LA-PORCELAINE-DE-LIMOGES-AU-PATRIMOINE-IMMATERIEL-DE-LUNESCO,958098.html

Scholars Trace Origin of Japanese Language to Korea
The modern Japanese language was influenced significantly by a migration of farmers from the Korean Peninsula some 2,200 years ago, scientists believe. Sean Lee and Toshikazu Hasegama of the University of Tokyo make the claim in a paper in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, AFP reported Thursday.
To trace the origin of the Japanese language, Lee and Hasegama created a list of 210 key vocabulary words, including verbs, numbers and nouns which have long been nearly "resistant to change," and duplicated it across 59 different dialects.
+ info: http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/05/06/2011050600657.html

VOIX DE DIVAS (Ouzbékistan) Maison des cutures du monde. Paris (France) 14-15 mai 2011
Adulées dans leur pays d’origine, l’Ouzbékistan, ces trois merveilleuses chanteuses sont issues de trois générations. La puissance et le registre étendu de leur voix permettent à chacune de passer facilement du répertoire savant, le shashmaqâm, à celui de la musique populaire. Une occasion exceptionnelle d’entendre ces voix hors du commun, mais aussi d’aller à la rencontre d’une culture musicale riche et variée.
+ info: http://msg101.net/D1/QeVq9pFfD/Q_hb6L9SX/Q-p8Lc0B9V7.aspx

Ratification by Poland of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (Paris, 17 October 2003)
On 16 May 2011, Poland deposited with the Director-General its instrument of ratification of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
In accordance with the terms of its Article 34, the aforementioned Convention will enter into force with respect to Poland three months after the date of the deposit of this instrument, that is to say on 16 August 2011.
+ info: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=48528&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

National Workshop on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Nauru
17 may - 19 may 2011 . , Nauru
Organizers: Oficina de la UNESCO en Apia
Contact: a.takahashi@unesco.org
+ info: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/all-events/?tx_browser_pi1[showUid]=3667&cHash=65be22c219

EXPOSITION - "HUICHOL, UN PEUPLE QUI CHEMINE A LA RECHERCHE DE L'AUBE"
18 may - 25 jul 2011 . Paris, France
Organizers: Instituto Cultural de México
Contact: idemex@wanadoo.fr
+ info: http://mexiqueculture.org/

Le Festival de l'Imaginaire célèbre les Outre-Mer - Maison des cultures du monde
21 may - 12 jun 2011 . Paris, France
Organizers: Maison des Cultures du Monde
+ info: http://email.message-business.com/PublishEmail.aspx?opid=9045C5B8808DAC2A00&ctid=Q-p8Lc0B9V7

La Grande Nuit Carnatique du Festival de l'Imaginaire
4 jun - 4 jun 2011 . Paris, France
Organizers: Maison des cultures du monde
Contact: info@maisondesculturesdumonde.org
+ info: http://email.message-business.com/PublishEmail.aspx?opid=C861B6D1BAC2559800&ctid=Q-p8Lc0B9V7

Workshop for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)
14 jun - 16 jun 2011 . Majuro, Marshall Islands
Organizers: UNESCO
+ info: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/all-events/?tx_browser_pi1[showUid]=3928&cHash=aa5b76542e

XIII Jornadas Internacionales de patrimonio intangible de la industria: Artefactos, Objetos, Saberes , Memoria - INCUNA (Industria, Cultura, Naturaleza)
28 sep - 1 oct 2011 . Gijón, Spain
Organizers: INCUNA
Contact: info@incuna.es
+ info: http://incuna.es/tag/xiii-jornadas-internacionales-patrimonio-industrial/

14th International Conference of National Trusts "Connecting people, places and stories: New Strategies for Conservation in a Changing World"
12 oct - 16 oct 2011 . Victoria,
Organizers: The Land Conservancy of British Columbia and by the Heritage Canada Foundation
Contact: information@intoconference.org
+ info: http://intoconference.org/

Sixth Session of the Intergovernmental Committee (6.COM)
22 nov - 29 nov 2011 . Bali, Indonesia
Organizers: Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
+ info: http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?pg=00362

'Sobre tres antiguas cítaras'
Autor: Gulik, Robert Hans van
Traducción: Joan M Vigo
ISBN: 978-84-614-9358-6
El qin, la cítara china de siete cuerdas, es un instrumento de gran antigüedad y sutileza. Ha sido durante mucho tiempo el instrumento solista por excelencia y el inseparable compañero de los eruditos chinos. Pero no es solamente un instrumento musical...
Además de la traducción, la publicación incluye como anexo dos fotografías de otras dos antiguas cítaras (periodos Song y Ming) que se mencionan en el ensayo original: “Viento en la pineda” y “Valle con manantial fluyendo.”
Sirva la presente publicación para acercar al lector un mundo tan distante como fascinante a través del análisis minucioso de antiguas cítaras, que son, por sí mismas, auténticas obras de arte.
La traducción ha sido publicada con la colaboración de The Asiatic Society of Japan y la plataforma Amigos del Guqin.
El arte del guqin forma parte del Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la UNESCO desde 2003.
Por cada ejemplar vendido de “Sobre tres antiguas cítaras”, citarachina.org donará 1 euro a The Asiatic Society of Japan, así como 1 euro al Fondo de Ayuda a Japón de GlobalGiving a las víctimas del terremoto y tsunami del 11 de marzo de 2011.
+ info: http://www.citarachina.org

Savoirs des femmes : médecine traditionnelle et nature
Maurice, Réunion, Rodrigues
ISBN: 978-92-3-204197-5
La Réunion, Maurice et Rodrigues présentent des traditions médicinales uniques. Fruits d'un processus de créolisation dont les origines sont multiples, ces usages sont indissociables de la nature dans laquelle ils puisent. Ils constituent une clé privilégiée pour comprendre des sociétés qui se situent dans une dialectique constante entre tradition et modernité.
Ces îles, initialement désertes, ont été peuplées à partir de la fin du XVIIe siècle par des populations originaires d'Europe, de Madagascar, d'Afrique, d'Inde et de Chine, voire de Polynésie ou d'Australie. Le dialogue entre les savoirs médicinaux propres à chacune d'elles a permis la naissance d'un savoir commun, transmis en grande partie par les femmes.
Cet ouvrage met en lumière la connaissance qu'ont ces femmes des plantes médicinales et des gestes médicaux, notamment ceux qui accompagnent la naissance. Il interroge également la place des savoirs médicinaux dans ces sociétés insulaires à l’heure d’une occidentalisation croissante et de certains replis identitaires.
+ info: http://publishing.unesco.org/details.aspx?Code_Livre=4823

Diaspora and heritage: a perennial source of conflict
Series: Museum international 245-6
Author: Wobst, H. Martin
This article explores the interactions between populations and their diaspora, as sources and amplifiers of problems and conflicts. Whether in terms of their tangible or intangible properties, populations and their diaspora mutually constitute one another, with the diasporas often contributing more to the semantic load of heritage, and to easily demarcatable conflict lines, than the population from which they originally derived.
+ info: http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=41265&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html#conflict

Intangible heritage and community identity in post-apartheid South Africa
Series: Museum international 245-6
Author: Bakker, Karel Anthonie; Müller, Liana
Imprint: May 2010
The recent geopolitical transformation in South Africa from a society in conflict to one embodying consensus invites inquiry into the use of heritage in the production of community identity, and the manner of commemoration and presentation of intangible heritage. This article presents case studies to indicate that there is an emerging shift away from hegemonic representation by the post-apartheid state in the form of very tentative individual or community-based expressions of struggle history.
+ info: http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=41265&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html#intangible

Jewish graves in Europe: public commemoration or ritual space?
Series: Museum international 245-6
Author: Polonovski, Max
Imprint: May 2010
Max Polonovski is in charge of the mission for the Protection of Jewish Heritage at the French Ministry of Culture. This article studies the conflicting roles of cemeteries, the ethical aspects of dealing with human remains as well as science and religious law.
+ info: http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php-URL_ID=41265&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html#jewish

Tell me about Crafts (in arabic)
Text by Jocelyne Etienne-Nugue.
Illustrations by Aurore Callias.
Discovering the World series
2011, 978-92-3-604018-9
In just a few pages you can find all you need to know about UNESCO, the World Heritage Sites, oceans, biosphere reserves, climate and other subjects at the heart of the organization’s work.
The Discovering the World series is a collection of compact guides aimed at making subjects accessible for a young readership (from 10 years old onwards). They are perfect for students of school or college age who need to prepare a text or presentation on any one of these subjects. Parents and teachers will also find these little books an interesting read.
Tell me about Crafts
Crafts are the fruit of tradition, innovation and imagination. Whether they take the form of pottery, woodwork, basketwork, weaving, metalwork, glasswork or leatherwork, they are all a fundamental expression of cultural identity.
For UNESCO, crafts are also an important tool in sustainable development.
+ info: http://publishing.unesco.org/details.aspx?Code_Livre=4831