Community Cultural Documentation
New technologies provide communities with fresh opportunities to document and digitize expressions of their traditional cultures, meeting the strong desire of communities to preserve, promote and pass on their cultural heritage to succeeding generations. Yet, these new forms of documentation and digitization can leave this cultural heritage vulnerable to unwanted exploitation.
In response, WIPO:
- has established a cultural documentation and IP management training program for communities, in partnership with the American Folklife Center (AFC) and the Center for Documentary Studies (CDS) in the USA. The program provides intensive, hands-on training in documentary techniques, archival skills and IP management necessary for effective community-based cultural conservation;
- has established a searchable database which includes IP protocols and codes of conduct established by indigenous and local communities;
- makes available a range of other practical resources, including an interview with ethnomusicologist Dr. Wim Van Zanten on prior and informed consent in ethnomusicology;
- is developing guidelines for communities on establishing their own IP protocols, guidelines, codes and license agreements.
