Durante siglos, las mujeres emplearon sus talentos innovadores y artísticos para crear objetos, y los transmitieron de madre a muchacha. El bordado de Tally, famoso en Egipto superior, y el bordado de cruz-punto de Siwa y Sinaí son únicas formas de un arte que se remonta al siglo XIX. Esta herencia se amenaza debido a la utilización de tecnologías avanzadas y más fáciles, y una falta de adaptación al mercado

En respuesta a la amenaza de una normalización industrial, el Consejo nacional egipcio para las mujeres (NCW) tomó iniciativas con la UNESCO para la protección del patrimonio inmaterial egipcio que se manifiesta en los ámbitos del arte tradicional, de las tradiciones y las expresiones orales, de los proverbios y de las artes del espectáculo. Este proyecto incluyó la documentación en combinación con la colección de todas las formas y modelos de Tally. Tuvo por objeto también formar jóvenes artistas mujeres, artesanos, documentalistas y profesores al registro y la documentación de las técnicas. Además se desarrolló pequeñas empresas, creando así empleos para las mujeres que viven en regiones y pueblos aislados.

Beads are widely used in West African cultures; major passages of life, for instance, are marked by the wearing of appropriate beads. In addition to their function in social and cultural expressions, the continuation of beads production is important for economic empowerment and sustainable development.

With a view to strengthening traditional beads production, the project included a survey on the production of traditional beads in Ghana and Mali and on their marketing. The resulting report led to a monograph entitled “Practical improved bead production manual”, which was distributed to stakeholders in these two countries. In addition, seven bead producers from Ghana and Mali attended a high-level workshop (Murano, Italy) in order to improve their bead production technology and marketing strategies.

This workshop provided the experts with the opportunity to establish an international network and to exchange knowledge. Furthermore, this domain of traditional craftsmanship and know-how, which has been transmitted orally for centuries, is now documented through a manual on bead making techniques. It is expected that this document will be used for vocational education, that it will help bead makers to improve their income, and that it will eventually support them to further develop and transmit their knowledge and skills to future generations.

Masquerade performing arts and costume-making traditions in the Caribbean derive from traditions of enslaved persons brought to the region during the three hundred year Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. These performing arts, that are rich in symbolism and social values, encompass various significant narrative and creative traditions, and play a vital role in maintaining the cultural identity within a community. However, they are particularly vulnerable to many adverse impacts of globalisation.

Objectives:

• The project was designed to identify, safeguard and revitalise traditional masquerade arts in three Caribbean countries, namely, Saint Lucia, the Commonwealth of Dominica and St Kitts–Nevis
• Transmission of this heritage
• Development of pilot projects in the field of tourism

Activities:

• Assisting the tradition bearers to implement safeguarding projects
• Establish income-generating activities.
• Community based research and training related to the traditional masquerade arts
• Community based research and training related to costume-making in the Caribbean

Results:

• Recognition of the income-generating potential of this art form particularly in the field of tourism
• Economical empowerment of several practitioners and craft workers