First Meeting of the Regional Centres for Cultural Heritage in South-Eastern Europe: Cooperation, Partnerships, Funding 23 March 2012. Zadar, Croatia

1. REGIONAL CENTER FOR THE
SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE
CULTURE HERITAGE
IN THE SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNESCO

2. LEGAL BASE
DECISION OF THE 35TH SESSION
OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE 2009
AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
AND
THE UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND
CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (UNESCO)
REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT IN SOFIA (THE REPUBLIC OF
BULGARIA) OF A REGIONAL CENTRE FOR THE
SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
IN THE SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF
UNESCO (CATEGORY 2)

3. OFFICIAL OPENING
20 FEBRUARY 2012

5. STATUTUTE
The Centre is a voluntary, politically
impartial cultural organization incorporated
as a not-for-profit entity in accordance with
the Not-for-profit Legal Entities Act and the
Cultural Heritage Act that carries out its
activity in compliance with the Constitution
and the laws of the Republic of Bulgaria

6. Seat and
Registered Office
7 Lachezar Stanchev Street,
Region of Izgrev, 1113 Sofia Bulgaria

7. MISSION AND OBJECTIVES OF
THE CENTRE
MISSION
The mission of the Centre is to promote the
cooperation in the field of intangible cultural
heritage on national, regional and international
level and to carry out initiatives for safeguarding
and popularization of the intangible
cultural heritage of the countries
in South-Eastern Europe.

8. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Centre shall be to:
1. promote the UNESCO Convention for the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
and contribute to its implementation in the
South-Eastern European sub-region;
2. increase the participation of separate
communities, groups and individuals in
safeguarding intangible heritage in the South-
Eastern European countries;

9. OBJECTIVES
3. enhance the capacity of the member-states in
UNESCO from South-Eastern European in
safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage.
4. coordinate, exchange and disseminate
information regarding the safeguarding of ICH
in the sub-region.
5. foster regional and international cooperation for
safeguarding ICH.

10. Specific functions
1. to encourage and coordinate the research of
practices of safeguarding the intangible
cultural heritage elements applied in the
South-Eastern European countries according
to Articles 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the 2003
Convention;
2. to organize training courses
with the following scope:

11. Specific functions
2.1 the 2003 Convention and its Operational
Directives;
2.2. different examples of policies including legal,
administrative, technical and financial measures
fostering the safeguarding of intangible cultural
heritage;
2.3. presentation of publications of UNESCO for
identification and documentation of intangible
cultural heritage and their application in the
research work on-place;
2.4. safeguarding intangible cultural heritage
through formal and non-formal education.

12. Specific functions
3. enhance international, regional and sub-regional
cooperation through networking with institutions
active in the domain of ICH, notably those
established under the auspices of UNESCO
(category 2), in order to coordinate activities,
exchange information and knowledge
concerning the safeguarding of ICH, and
promote good practices.

13. STRUCTURE AND BODIES OF
THE CENTRE
The bodies of the Centre are:
the General Assembly;
the Executive Board;
the Executive director.

14. General Assembly
The Centre is guided and overseen by a General Assembly whose
personal composition is renewed every four years including as
regular members:
two representatives of the Government of the Republic
of Bulgaria (Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs) or their appointed representatives;
a representative of the Director-General of UNESCO;
a representative of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences;
a representative of the Bulgarian National Commission
for UNESCO;

15. General Assembly
a representative of each of the member-states, which
have sent a notification for membership to the Centre, in
accordance with Article 12, paragraph 2 of the
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of
Bulgaria and UNESCO and have expressed interest in
being represented in the Assembly;
up to two representatives of any other intergovernmental
organizations or international non-governmental
organizations, to which membership could be granted by
a decision of the General Assembly.

16. The General Assembly shall:
• select members of the Executive Board;
• approve the long-term and medium term
programmes of the Center;
• approve the annual work plan and budget of
the Centre, including the staffing table;

17. The General Assembly shall:
• examine the annual reports submitted by the
Executive Director, including a biennial self-
assessment of the Centre’s contribution to
UNESCO’s programme objectives;
• adopt the rules and regulations and determine
the financial, administrative and personnel
management procedures of the Centre in
accordance with the laws of the country;
• decide on the participation of regional
intergovernmental organizations and
international organizations in the work of the
Centre.

18. Executive Board
The Executive Board is the managing body of
the Centre.
The Executive Board shall be composed of
minimum 3 (three) members elected by the
General Assembly for 4 (four) years’ term of
office.

19. Powers of the Executive Board
The Executive Board shall:
1. represent the Centre and determine the scope
of power of representation of the Chairperson
and the remaining members;
2. ensure the fulfilment of the resolutions of the
General Assembly;
3. dispose of the property of the Centre subject to
the requirements of the Statutes;

20. Powers of the Executive Board
4. prepare and submit to the General Assembly a
report on the activity of the Centre;
5. prepare and submit to the General Assembly a
draft budget;
6. determine the procedure and organize the
performance of the activity of the Centre and be
liable for that;

21. Powers of the Executive Board
7. ensure the management and preservation of the
property of the Centre;
8. approve of the organizational and management
structure, the procedure for appointment and
dismissal of staff, the payroll rules and other
internal acts of the Centre;
9. appoint liquidators upon dissolution of the
Centre, unless for cases of insolvency;

22. Powers of the Executive Board
10. decide on the participation in other
organizations;
11. decide on any matters which do not fall within
the scope of powers of another body according
to the law or the Statutes.
12. propose to the General Assembly to admit and
expel members.

23. Executive Director
The Executive Director shall:
1. execute the decisions of the Executive Board on
the overall operating management of the Centre
related to both the achievement of the objectives
and the scope of activity and the administrative
and financial services for the operation of the
Centre.
2. make proposals to the Executive Board for
appointment and dismissal of associates of the
Centre.

24. Secretariat
The Secretariat of the Centre shall consist of
Executive Director and the personal necessary
for the normal functioning of the Centre.

25. Staffing Table:
1. Executive Director
2. Expert on international activity
3. Expert on programmes and projects
4. Expert on PR and promotional activities
5. Technical assistant

26. BUDGET
Pursuant to Art. 11 of the Agreement between the
Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the
UNESCO on the establishment, in Sofia, of a Regional
Center for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage in South Eastern Europe under the Auspices of
UNESCO (Category 2), the Government of the
Republic of Bulgaria is to commit no less than the
equivalent of€200,000 per annum to cover the
expenses pertinent to the activities of the Center as well
as its operational costs: administration, communications,
utilities and maintenance.

27. Funds for running the Center
may be raised also from:
• Induction fees and an annual membership fee at
a rate to be determined by the General
Assembly;
• Voluntary additional contributions, subsidies,
grants and donations;
• Revenue from additional economic activity;
• Other sources as allowed under applicable law.

28. The Center implements:
LONG-TERM PROGRAMME
Types of activity:
Identification and Documentation of intangible
cultural heritage elements;
Safeguarding of ICH;
Transmission and Dissemination of ICH elements;
International Cooperation;
Creation of expert networks;
Actions promoting the work of the Centre.

29. WELCOME
TO THE REGIONAL CENTER FOR THE
SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE
CULTURE HERITAGE
IN THE SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNESCO
IN
SOFIA

30. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Contacts:
DEIANA DANAILOVA
CHAIRPERSON OF THE
EXECUTIVE BOARD
E-mail: d.danailova@mc.government.bg
www.unesco-centerbg.org/