1. MOST
MOST is UNESCO’s intergovernmental science programme on social transformations.
MOST works with governments, social and human science communities and civil societies to improve connections between knowledge and action, connections that are one key to positive social change.
Within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, MOST contributes to development, to the eradication of poverty, to inclusive and sustainable responses to environmental change and to the promotion of inclusive, effective and accountable governance, as well as to the achievement of UNESCO’s Global Priorities: Africa and Gender Equality.
MOST supports Member States in improving policymaking processes through a strengthened research-policy interface, which uses knowledge focused on human needs from the social and human sciences to promote a culture of evidence-informed decision-making.
MOST has three operational pillars:
- The research pillar
- MOST intergovernmental forums
- Policy support and capacity-building
2. World Heritage and Culture Thematic
Cultural and natural heritage
The CNRU has always been actively associated with the national bodies empowered to inscribe certain national cultural and natural heritage sites on the World Heritage List: ratification in 2000 of the 1972 convention on cultural and natural heritage, inventory of cultural heritage and natural produced in 2004 by the Ministry of Sports and Culture, establishment, with the support of a UNESCO expert, of an indicative list to be proposed to the World Heritage List, preparation of the file to be submitted to the Council Ministers for this purpose.
After the Tentative List proposal has been sent to UNESCO, the CNRU will collaborate in the preparation or revision of legislative texts relating to the protection of the national cultural heritage, the inscription, and the classification of this heritage.
Intangible heritage
Our country has a rich and varied intangible heritage (language, oral literature, dances, crafts, history, traditional medicine, culinary art, etc.), but its limited means do not allow optimum exploitation of this heritage for development. sustainable.
UNESCO could provide it with precious support in this area, provided that it first ratifies the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, adopted in 2003 by the General Conference of UNESCO. The same is true of the 2005 convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions. The CNRU is working to convince the government to ratify these two crucial conventions for the enhancement of our intangible cultural heritage. To this end, it intends to organize in 2010, with the financial support of UNESCO, a seminar to raise public awareness of the inestimable value of our intangible culture. This seminar will also lead to the establishment of a national cultural heritage committee.
Promotion of crafts and design
Promoting crafts and design for sustainable development is one of UNESCO’s major lines of action, which has decided to support Rwandan crafts in two ways. The first was funding research into traditional crafts. This study, conducted by researchers from the Institute of National Museums of Rwanda in 2009, resulted in a seminar to validate the results and consult on the strategies to be implemented for the development of the artisanal sector in Rwanda. Organized by the CNRU with funding from UNESCO, Nairobi Office, the seminar took place on October 23, 2009, and had a strong involvement from the Ministry of Sports and Culture and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The second part is a pilot training activity in the Kigali central prison. This project aims to encourage prisoners, especially women, to acquire new skills in the craft sector and allow them to express their creativity through craft products. The specificity of the prison also highlights the contribution of culture in the socio-economic reintegration of marginalized groups. Emphasis is placed on weaving products that exploit the decorative patterns that are specifically Rwandan. The training is provided by Ethiopian artisans who have a strong tradition in a design inspired by traditional patterns.
3. ICOMOS
The International Council for Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a non-governmental organization, is an advisory body to the World Heritage Convention.
4. Traditional Medicine
Nothing for the moment