UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Mission: to contribute to the building of a culture of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information

UNESCO’s action in Culture: Themes and Priorities UNESCO is in the vanguard of international efforts to preserve humanity’s irreplaceable riches: its diversity and shared heritage. –Promote cultural diversity by safeguarding heritage in its various dimensions (tangible and intangible) and enhancing cultural expressions. –Promote social cohesion by fostering pluralism, intercultural dialogue, and a culture of peace –Promote the central role of culture in sustainable development.

Biennial Programme Culture: Main Lines of Action 1.Protecting and conserving immovable, cultural and natural properties, in particular through the effective implementation of the World Heritage. 2.Safeguarding living heritage, particularly through the promotion and implementation of the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. 3.Enhancing the Protection of cultural objects and the fight against illicit traffic in them, notably through the promotion and implementation of the 1954 Convention and its two Protocols, and the 1970 and 2001 Conventions, as well as the development of museums. 4.Protecting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions, in particular through the implementation of the 2005 Convention and the development of cultural and creative industries 5.Integrating intercultural dialogue and cultural diversity into national policies.

UNESCO Venice Office Regional Office for Science and Culture in Europe (UNESCO-BRESCE) Fosters cooperation, capacity building and the provision of specialized expertise in science and culture, with special emphasis on South-Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region

UNESCO’s action for enhancing cultural heritage in SEE: main themes Activities at regional (SEE) level: support to main regional platforms of cooperation on cultural heritage  The annual Forums of SEE Heads of State

Forums of SEE Heads of State 1.First regional Forum on “Dialogue Among Civilizations (Ohrid, 2003) 2.Inter-religious and Inter-ethnic Dialogue (Tirana, 2004) 3.Cultural Corridors in South-East Europe (Varna, 2005) 4.Communication of Heritage (Opatija, 2006) 5.Multiculturalism as a Bridge between Cultural Heritage and Culture of the Future (Bucharest and Sibiu, 2007) 6.Intercultural Encounters on Maritime, River and lake Routes of South-east Europe (Athens, 2008) 7.Management of Heritage Diversity and its Promotion for Tourism (Cetinje, 2009) 8.Music as Metaphor of Cultural Dialogue (Istanbul, 2010) 9.From Roman Tolerance to European Understanding (Belgrade, 8-9 July 2011)

UNESCO’s action for enhancing cultural heritage in SEE: main themes Activities at regional (SEE) level: support to main regional platforms of cooperation on cultural heritage  The annual Forums of SEE Heads of State  The annual Ministerial Conferences on Cultural Heritage in SEE

“Cultural Heritage: a Bridge towards a Shared Future” Ministerial Conferences on Cultural Heritage in South-East Europe 1.MOSTAR, Bosnia and Herzegovina (19 July 2004) 2.VENICE, Italy (25 November 2005) 3.OHRID, fyr of Macedonia (3 November 2006) 4.ZADAR, Croatia (10 September 2007) 5.BUCHAREST, Romania (20 September 2008) 6.CETINJE, Montenegro (24 April 2010) 7.BELGRADE, Serbia (10 June 2011)

UNESCO’s action for enhancing cultural heritage in SEE: main themes Activities at regional and country level:  Institutional and professional capacity development; support sharing of good practices and expertise

REGIONAL CENTRES for the Safeguarding of Cultural Heritage in SEE International Centre on Underwater Archaeology (Zadar, CROATIA) Regional Centre for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (Sofia, BULGARIA) Institute for Conservation of Monuments (Tirana, ALBANIA) Regional centre for Digitisation of Cultural Heritage (Skopje, fyr MACEDONIA)

UNESCO’s action for enhancing cultural heritage in SEE: main themes Activities at regional and country level:  Institutional and professional capacity development; support sharing of good practices and expertise  Policy advice: support to ratification and implementation of international standards (UNESCO Conventions)

Culture > Normative Action > Conventions Universal Copyright Convention (1952,1971) Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954) Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Cultural Property (1970) Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972) Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage (2001) Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003) Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)

UNESCO’s action for enhancing cultural heritage in SEE: main themes Activities at regional and country level:  Institutional and professional capacity development; support sharing of good practices and expertise  Policy advice: support to ratification and implementation of international standards (UNESCO Conventions)  Integrating culture into development programmes

MDG-F Joint Programmes “Culture and Development”* Culture and Heritage for Social and Economic Development (Albania). Budget:: 3,260, US$ total. 1,393, US$ UNESCO share Improving Cultural Understanding in Bosnia and Herzegovina - Budget: 8,000, US$ total. 1,487, US$ UNESCO share) Alliances for Cultural Tourism in Eastern Anatolia (Turkey). Budget: 3,800, US$ total. 830, US$ UNESCO share. * Donor: Government of Spain

UNESCO’s action for enhancing cultural heritage in SEE: main themes Activities at regional and country level:  Institutional and professional capacity development; support sharing of good practices and expertise  Policy advice: support to ratification and implementation of international standards (UNESCO Conventions)  Integrating culture into development programmes  Implementation of major operational projects for safeguarding/restoration of cultural heritage

Main Extra-budgetary Projects Capacity-building for Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage in Albania (total amount: 1,481, USD – donor: UNESCO / Italy) Restoration of the Historical Centre of Gjirokastra (Albania) (total amount: 1,367, USD - donor: UNESCO / Albania) Skopje Regional Centre for the Digitization of Cultural Heritage (total amount: 443, USD- donor: UNESCO / Italy) Safeguarding of cultural heritage in Kosovo* (total amount: 5,575, USD - donor: multiple) Conservation of Monuments in Plovdiv (Bulgaria) (total amount 999, USD - donor: UNESCO / Japan) Cultural Heritage: a Bridge Towards a Shared Future (total amount: 2,222, USD - donor: UNESCO / Italy) * (as defined by UN Security Council Resolution 1244)

Thank you for your attention! Matteo Rosati Programme Officer UNESCO Venice Office,Culture Unit