Sri Lanka’s candidate elected to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Evaluation Body

Sri Lanka’s candidate, Dr. Bilinda Devage Nandadeva was elected as an expert to the prestigious Evaluation Body of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) at the 19th Session of the ICH Committee Meeting held in Asunción, Paraguay.  
 
Dr. B. D. Nandadeva, a distinguished scholar with over forty years of experience in cultural heritage, will serve a four year term on the ICH Evaluation Body. He has extensive knowledge and experience in the work of the ICH Intergovernmental Committee and in the inscription process. 
 
The ICH Evaluation Body comprises twelve (12) members, including six (06) state-nominated experts and six (06) representatives of accredited non-governmental organizations, ensuring diverse geographic representation and expertise across various sectors.
 
The ICH Evaluation Body of UNESCO plays a pivotal role in assessing and recommending decisions related to nominations for inscription on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, and the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
 
Established under the 2003 Convention, the ICH Evaluation Body contributes to protecting and promoting living traditions, including oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, traditional craftsmanship, and other practices that communities recognize as integral to their cultural heritage.
 
Dr. Nandadeva’s election enables Sri Lanka to contribute to the ICH Evaluation Body’s critical work of preserving the world’s rich cultural legacy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.