In the UNESCO Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage, oral history is not explicitly mentioned. I want to point out some problems following from this, and to propose that IOHA work with UNESCO, to make clear that all governments who signed the Convention, are obliged to support oral history projects.

In Norway, tangible heritage is relatively well taken care of. As is intangible heritage concerning traditional music, traditional craftsmanship and one minority language. But “Oral traditions and expressions” are not. There is no national oral history archive, and neither public nor private funding schemes intended for oral history and other oral expressions. In libraries, museums and archives, oral culture and heritage are left to individual enthusiasts without fixed budgets. This is also reflected in voluntary heritage organizations.

I believe that the main reason for this is too narrow understanding of what is intangible heritage. I also suspect that this problem is not only Norwegian.

For countries who signed it, the obligations in the 2003 UNESCO Convention are important when national heritage policies are worked out. If the understanding of those obligations are narrow, the policies will be narrow too. That is the problem in Norway - and I suppose in other countries alike.

In my presentation, I will go deeper into the history of the Convention text, and explain why - in my opinion - the Norwegian understanding of it is too narrow, and what a correct understanding should be.

Then I will discuss what it means for our American and British friends, that none of their governments (US and UK) have signed the Convention. And what this - in turn -  means for the rest of us, who owe so much of our learning to OHA and OHS.

At present (November 2022) I think my conclusion will be that IOHA should seek closer contact with UNESCO, to make sure that both parts define oral history as part of the intangible heritage. We should aim at a common statement, that all governments who signed the Convention are obliged to support the work of oral history societies in their countries.