cS NORWEGIAN MDSISTRAT OF FOREIGN APRAIRSUse NVA sa Ce Background diversity with no less than 84 living languages spoken by as, many ethno-linguistic communities. The cultural heritage of Ethiopia includes, in addition to its material assets, the immensely diverse intangible or living heritage of all communities that together constitute the country. Ess is home to an astonishing rich linguistic and cultural Recognising the function and value of this heritage, Ethiopia is paying an ever increasing attention to its living heritage and has ratified the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in February 2006. That Convention, which entered into force on 20 April 2006, asks its States Parties to identify intangible heritage expressions and traditions in cooperation with the communities and groups who are the tradition bearers. As the first measure necessary to this effect is the definition and identification of this heritage culminating in the drafting of one or more inventories. UNESCO is expected to contribute to the creation or empowerment of national institutions that will work in the spirit of the 2003 Convention. The intangible heritage, which is passed on from generation to generation, is mainly transmitted orally and is crucial for the sense of identity and continuity of the groups concerned. Many domains may be distinguished, such as oral traditions, traditional knowledge, handicrafts, traditional music and dance, rituals, social traditions and practices concerning nature and the ‘universe. This project concentrates on traditional music and dance of Ethiopia, most of which have not yet been recorded or documented, while taking into social context in which the expressions concerned are performed, as well as the interests of the communities who are the bearers of these traditions. Stakeholders n 2005, UNESCO has launched a four-year and Instruments’. This project, which is financed by the Goverment of Norway, involves Ethiopian and European experts on Ethiopian traditional music and dance, and such Addis Ababa based institutions as the Authorities on Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage of Ethiopia, the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, the National Archives and Libraries of Ethiopia (NALE), the Orthodox Church authority, the Yared Music School as well as the local institutions in Bahar Dar, Jinka, Harar and Mekelle. The project is managed by UNESCO through its field office in Addis Ababa and the coordination of its scientific aspects is ensured by team leader Dr Olivier Tourny (CNRS/Paris University V). account the An important group of stakeholders of the ng - the project are ~ and this goes without s communities and groups who create, perform and transmit Ethiopia's traditional music and dance. They are too numerous to be listed here individually, but they are the main pillars of the project and their interests are to be taken into account, and their contribution acknowledged throughout the project in conforn spirit of the 2003 Convention. ty with the ‘gun o osoli inin n ( nod SeenUN Seo CAM eae aa (a8 Goals Identification, Documentation and Inventory-making and document traditional music and dance expressions in different parts of Ethiopia through extensive field work and research, which will also result in a number of diverse publications. A summary survey of earlier research by Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian experts and of the collections of recordings of Ethiopian traditional dance and music will be produced both in English and Amharic. The outline of a first inventory of Ethiopian traditional music and dance, in the sense of the 2003 Convention, will be developed on the basis of the information to be collected. In addition, the traditional expressions collected during the project will be housed in the new archive building of the NALE; appropriate equipment will also be provided to the NALE and its technical staff will receive additional training A n important goal of this project is to collect Training and enhancing local capacities Another major goal of the project is to contribute to the training of Ethiopian students and to the further empowerment of Ethiopian experts and specialized institutions. University-level courses on ethnomusicology and on Ethiopian traditional music will be given at the Institute of Ethiopian Studies and at the Yared Music School (both of University of Addis Ababa). A pilot activity called "Musical Landscape of Addis Ababa" will give Ethiopian students a fieldwork on hth ks Aa irons experience in identifying and documenting traditional music and dance expressions. Promoting and protecting Ethiopia's cultural diversity ‘The project also aims to raise the general awareness in the country, particularly amongst decision makers, about the existence, the beauty and value of the traditional music and dance expressions. Such expressions still can be found everywhere in Ethiopia and they may be safeguarded if the conditions are created or maintained that are necessary for the communities concerned to continue to perform them and to transmit them to future generations. Through the documentation and safeguarding of Ethiopia's living cultural heritage, the cultural diversity of the country will be promoted. The information about Ethiopian traditional music and dance, and about the project, will be disseminated through a website, public lectures and the mediaresul As a result of the project, the following outcomes are also expected: he project is designed to leave behind ® Increased attention among decision makers and the general public different. types ef information and fr Ethiopian traditional music, dance and instruments equipment thatare essential for follow-up @ Encouragement towards local communities tocontinueto perform j activites in Ethiopia after the completion of the project: and transmit their intangible cultural heritage; © Long-term international co-operation for the safeguarding | © A summary of previous studies and of collections of Ethiopian music and dance Ethiopian music and dance traditions; traditions; © Ethiopian students and experts continuing to build up inventories, record, document and archive Ethiopian music and dance curriculum materials on farts icology and Ethiopian music, i instruments and dance traditions; @ Maintenance and active use by Ethiopian institutions of ‘equipment for recording and archivi 1g multi-media material; © A multimedia archive of Ethiopian music and dance traditions at NALE; © A preliminary national inventory of Ethiopian music, dance and instruments; © Scientific publications and a book on different types of music and dance expressions as performed nowadays in various parts of Ethiopia and on the results of the activities of the research team involved in the project; ey Temagami See ey