We are proud to announce that World Intangible Inheritance Protection and Development Foundation/WICHPDF has been recognized with Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as an officially recognized non-governmental organization. This is a milestone that WICHPDF has been working toward, and the decision was made by ECOSOC following the recommendations from the UN Committee on NGOs:
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO Committee) recommended 214 organizations for consultative status(report E/2023/32 part II) at its 2023 regular session, held from 23 January to 1 February and on 13 February 2023. WICHPDF was among those recommended. The recommendations of the NGO Committee (“Applications for consultative status”) were adopted without a vote at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) 2023 Plenary meeting on June 7-8.
With this recognition, WICHPDF joins an exclusive group of only a few thousand organizations worldwide that have won this honor from the United Nations. To view the most up-to-date listing of NGOs in consultative status with the UN ECOSOC, visit their search page. Enter our full name or WICHPDF in the “Organization’s name:” section to bring up our listing.
What Does Consultative Status Mean?
Consultative Status is an official recognition by the United Nations (UN) that enables WICHPDF to actively engage with ECOSOC and its associated bodies. WICHPDF can participate in international meetings, events, and conferences convened under the auspices of United Nations agencies and programs. WICHPDF will be able to offer formal recommendations to the UN’s 193 Member States, as well as UN system officials in charge of development policy, thanks to Special Consultative Status.
WICHPDF is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and developing intangible cultural heritage in the sector of providing a holistic approach to human health, to join together to bring forth a peaceful and sustainable world community. WICHPDF will use this recognition to expand its reach into the international development community, seeking opportunities for research, collaboration, and fundraising with a focus on integrating intangible cultural heritage with modern technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship as solutions to global challenges and aiding the UN in achieving its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC)
Article 71 of the United Nations Charter, which established the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), states the following:
The Economic and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate, with national organizations after consultation with the Member of the United Nations concerned. — United Nations Charter, Chapter X, Article 71
One of the six principal organs of the UN, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is the central UN forum for international economic and social issues. The Council coordinates the economic and social work of the UN system, which engages 70 percent of the system’s human and financial resources. All of the UN specialized agencies (e.g., the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization), as well as all of the UN programs and funds (e.g., UNICEF and the World Food Program), report to ECOSOC.
What we gain as an NGO in Consultative Status?
The ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31 specifies that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in consultative Status are entitled to:
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- Attend international conferences and events.
- Make written and oral statements at these events.
- Organize side events.
- Enter United Nations premises (New York, Vienna, Geneva, and Nairobi)
- Have opportunities to network and lobby.
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Representative Inheritor is China’s system of identifying “Living Human Treasures” as proposed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). As defined by UNESCO, “Living Human Treasures are persons who possess to a very high degree the knowledge and skills required for performing or re‐creating specific elements of the intangible cultural heritage. “Each Member State should choose an appropriate title to designate the bearers of knowledge and skills, the title of “Living Human Treasures” proposed by UNESCO being indicative. Among the systems in existence, there are already a variety of titles: Master of Art (France), Bearer of Popular Craft Tradition (Czech Republic), National Living Treasure (Republic of Korea), Holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property (Japan and Republic of Korea).”
An intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a practice, representation, expression, knowledge, or skill considered by UNESCO to be part of a place’s cultural heritage. Buildings, historic places, monuments, and artifacts are cultural property. Intangible heritage consists of nonphysical intellectual wealth, such as folklore, customs, beliefs, traditions, knowledge, and language. -Wikipedia