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• 03.18.2023

  Meeting of the group of experts with the community of rhapsodes and bearers of Lahuta

  

  On March 18th in Shkodër, the group of experts together with the community of rhapsodies and bearers of the art of making Lahuta, coming from Malësia e Madhe, Tropoja, Puka, and Lezha, organized a meeting on Lahuta. The initiative was undertaken by the Ministry of Culture in cooperation and with the support of the Albanian-American Foundation for Development.

  The activity was funded by AADF as part of the preparation for Lahuta nomination to UNESCO and was led by the researchers and members of the group Dr. Armanda Hysa and Dr. Rigels Halili together with Academics Mr. Vasil S. Tole and Mr. Shaban Sinani, from the Academy of Sciences who referred the presentation “Lahuta today in Albania: Eposi songs, rhapsodes and the skill of making the instrument”.

  The meeting was attended by the UNESCO ICH expert, anthropologist Mrs. Susane Ogge-Milou, who has supported from the beginning the work of the group of experts and the members of the local communities. Mr. Ilir Parangoni, Project Manager at AADF, and Mrs. Bendis Pustina from the Ministry of Culture attended the workshop.

  At the meeting, several protective measures were proposed by the local community such as the protection with a special status of Rhapsodies and Lahuta craftsmen; encouraging the formation of new rhapsodes in the environment where the last rhapsodies live; the assumption of responsibilities by the local government in the regions where the rhapsodies still are to be found for financial support to them; completion of a map of the area where the traditional Lahuta is kept as well as some other protection measures.

  Detailed description 

• 12.01.2022

  Inscription of Xhubleta (skills, craftsmanship, and forms of usage) on the List of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding

  

  The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has decided to inscribe Xhubleta (skills, craftsmanship, and forms of usage) for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. The decision was taken during the seventeenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat on 28 November 2022.

  The Committee has also decided to approve the International Assistance request from Albania for the implementation of the safeguarding plan for Xhubleta (skills, craftsmanship, and forms of usage), and grant the amount of US$91,092 to implement the safeguarding plan. The proposed project is national in scope and involves the participation of communities, under the coordination of the Ministry of Culture, the collaboration with the Municipality of Malësi e Madhe, and local NGOs.

  The preparation of the nomination file for Xhubleta craftsmanship was funded by Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF) based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Ministry of Culture in November 2020. Together with the preparation of Xhubleta element, AADF is assisting the Ministry of Culture with funds and high-level of local and international expertise in the preparation of four other Albanian nominations to UNESCO:

  – K’cimi, dancing of Tropojë;

  – Transhumance- the seasonal droving of livestock;

  – Songs of Frontier Warriors (Eposi i Kreshnikëve);

  – The Great Era – Moti i Madh i Arbëreshëve.

  The AADF’s continuous financial support of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Albanian aims to improve not only the protection, conservation, and promotion of the country’s rich heritage as part of European identity but also to create a more sustainable economic development for the local community.

• 06.11.2021

  Transhumancë of Albania to UNESCO

  

  Following the successful submission to UNESCO of the first two dossiers of “Xhubleta” and “Dancing of Tropoja”, the AADF is assisting the Ministry of Culture in preparing the third dossier, ”Transhumancë”.

  Known historically in the territory of Albania since ancient times, this phenomenon is currently being evidenced by local and international experts where it continues to be practiced. Albania’s dossier is expected to go as a shared application with other European countries such as France and Spain.

  Detailed description

• 03.30.2021

  Nomination of “Xhubleta” and “K’cimi i Tropojës” at UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List

  

  AADF in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture has successfully completed the preparation of the nomination files of two Intangible Culture Heritage elements “Xhubleta” skills, craftsmanship and forms of usage, and “K’cimi i Tropojës”. The files were submitted to UNESCO by the Ministry of Culture on March 30^th 2021, respectively Xhubleta to be inscribed in the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and K’cimi i Tropojës to be inscribed in the Representative List of Cultural Heritage.

  Based on the Memorandum of Understanding between AADF and the Ministry of Culture, the drafting process of the nomination files was managed by the AADF through the engagement of Intangible Culture Heritage international experts, Albanian consultants and local communities.

  The preparation of nomination files was funded by AADF aiming to promote cultural values through preservation of intangible heritage elements and provide local community with a sense of identity on an international scale.

  The collaboration between the AADF and the Ministry of Culture will continue on compiling two other ICH nomination files for UNESCO evaluation in 2022, that of ‘Transhumance’ and ‘Eposi i Kreshnikëve i kënduar me Lahutë’.

  Detailed description

• 02.26.2021

  Preparation of application files to UNESCO of Xhubleta and Kcimi i Tropojës

  

  Within the framework of the collaboration between the AADF and the Ministry of Culture to prepare the applications files to inscribe four elements of Albanian intangible heritage in the “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity” of UNESCO, two working groups for Xhubleta and Kcimi i Tropojës were established in January and February. The groups are composed of local communities and national experts assisted by UNESCO certified consultants to help the preparation of the files. During this period, the two working groups have undertaken a number of field expeditions to identify and document local bearers and areas where these elements are still practiced. In parallel, the documentation phase has been associated with archive research to gather all information to be included in the applications files. A filming company has been attached to both groups for the preparation of two documentaries as part of the UNESCO procedure of applications.

  The applications files of Xhubleta and Kcimi i Tropojës are scheduled to be sent for evaluation to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (UNESCO) in March 2021.

  All project activities, national and international experts and the filming of the documentaries are fully funded by the AADF.

  Detailed description

• 11.23.2020

  The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding to support the Albanian application to UNESCO of the four elements of intangible cultural heritage

  

  On November 23, 2020, in Razëm, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between AADF and the Ministry of Culture to support the Albania’s application of four intangible cultural heritage elements to be included into the UNESCO’s “Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanities”.

  Through this Memorandum of Understanding, AADF will financially support national and international groups of experts who will conduct research and prepare the application of the four Albanian intangible cultural heritage elements listed as the following:

  1 Xhubleta, (Djubleta) – as a unique technology and remaking of handicrafts and the forms of its use, located in northern Albania.

  2 K’cimi i bjeshkës me tupan i Tropojës, (Tropoja’s folk dance choreographic folklore) – as a typology of the Albanian national spiritual heritage;

  3 Eposi i Kreshnikëve, (Songs of Frontier Warriors) – the north Albanian epos sung to this day by elderly Albanian men playing lahuta, a one-stringed instrument. The epic songs in this epos are literary reflections on the struggles of historical or legendary heroes of the past.

  4 Verimi (Transhumance) – the seasonal movement of livestock and shepherds from one grazing ground to another in a seasonal cycle. It’s an economic activity and it involves shared rituals and social practices, shaping relations among people, animals and ecosystems.

  Detailed description