Belize Participates in UNESCO Expert Meeting on Urban Intangible Cultural Heritage in Paris
From June 16–17, 2025, the Director of ISCR-NICH, participated in a UNESCO Expert Meeting on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in Urban Contexts, held in Paris, France. This gathering was organized by the UNESCO Living Heritage Entity to examine how urbanization processes intersect with efforts to safeguard living heritage worldwide.
At UNESCO’s invitation, Rolando Cocom, Director of ISCR and Belize’s focal point for the 2003 Convention, presented on the topic “Community-Based Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Belize: Practices, Pressures, and Possibilities”.
The Global Context: ICH in the Age of Urbanization
According to UNESCO, more than half of the global population now lives in urban areas, with that number expected to rise to 70% by 2050. Urban expansion poses both opportunities and risks for ICH. On one hand, cities offer visibility, infrastructure, and diversity. On the other, they can lead to disconnection, commodification, and the erasure of traditional knowledge systems. The meeting in Paris brought together experts from all world regions to share insights, case studies, and policy perspectives on how to respond effectively to these dynamics.
Belize’s Contribution: Insights from Small Urban Centers
Mr. Cocom’s presentation offered two case studies that reflect Belize’s unique realities as a small, plural society experiencing steady urbanization:
- The Revival of the Deer Dance in Belmopan
In 2024, ISCR collaborated with Maya communities to support their celebration of the Deer Dance in our capital of Belmopan. Traditionally performed in rural villages, the Deer Dance involves days of ritual, dance, and community gatherings. Carrying out this tradition in an urban setting revealed critical needs: culturally appropriate storage and ritual space, safety coordination, and collaboration between community members and city officials. Despite challenges, the event fostered pride, interethnic dialogue, and renewed interest among younger and elderly generations.
- Honouring the Legacy of Ms. Florencia Castillo in Orange Walk
The late Ms. Florencia “Mutt” Castillo was a widely respected knowledge bearer whose work in traditional medicine, embroidery, and culinary heritage made her a pillar of cultural heritage in Orange Walk Town. Through partnerships with the Banquitas House of Culture, she led workshops on huipil design and traditional cooking, turning urban spaces into classrooms for living heritage. Her story underscores the urgent need to support individual bearers with documentation tools, economic pathways, and appropriate infrastructure.
Key Lessons Shared
Belize’s experience contributes to a growing international consensus: urbanization is not inherently a threat to living heritage. Rather, it is a challenge of policy alignment and community empowerment. Among the key recommendations shared by Mr. Cocom at the meeting were the need to:
- Create culturally appropriate urban spaces that respect ritual and tradition, not just physical needs.
- Engage knowledge bearers in urban planning, ensuring co-design of events, festivals, and public spaces.
- Link ICH to livelihoods through micro-enterprise support in crafts, foods, and traditional practices.
- Invest in infrastructure digital archives, recording studios, community museums that sustain ICH visibility in towns and cities.
A Milestone in Belize’s International Cultural Engagement
Belize’s participation in the Expert Meeting reflects its growing role in global cultural policy discourse. Since ratifying the 2003 Convention in 2006, Belize has actively pursued a community-based, inclusive approach to safeguarding ICH, working closely with cultural practitioners, Houses of Culture, and networks across the country.
The outcomes of the meeting will inform the second phase of discussions in September 2025, when experts reconvene online to synthesize recommendations for UNESCO’s future policy directions on ICH in urban contexts.
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