A/HRC/37/29 76. Mr. Keita pointed to challenges in the preservation of cultural heritage in Mali such as the mismatch between customary rules and the law governing heritage, and the lack of interest of young people in traditional crafts. He recommended the creation of vocational training to promote traditional skills and crafts, and urged an accommodation between customary rules and national laws to assist in the protection and conservation of cultural heritage. 77. Mr. Keita said that local populations were the true holders of cultural heritage, but they were often forgotten in the management of that heritage. He underscored the need to train local people and to foster and accept their involvement in the management of cultural sites to ensure effectiveness and solidarity. He provided the example of the cultural banks established in some villages in Mali, which were managed by the villagers themselves. The items in those banks were ethnographic objects that people had contributed and for which they received a small loan in return. The banks facilitated villagers’ involvement in the management of cultural heritage and helped curb the illicit trade in artefacts. 78. He concluded that the management of heritage was not viable without multidimensional cooperation that prioritized the role of local populations and provided them with the support needed to perform the task. B. Summary of discussions and inputs received 79. During the interactive discussion, representatives of Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Iraq and the Syrian Arab Republic took the floor, along with representatives of the Baha’i International Community, the European Association of Archaeologists, Turquoise Mountain and the Penn Cultural Heritage Center at the University of Pennsylvania (United States). Written inputs were also received from States and civil society. 80. Participants noted the need to protect not only heritage sites but also the landscape in which they were situated, which retained remains and resonances of the cultural past. Archaeologists were helpful in analysing satellite pictures or mapping sites, but local people could add meaning and knowledge to what archaeologists saw. 81. Some participants underscored that minorities had been targeted and discriminated against throughout history and subjected to gross human rights violations, including the destruction of their cultural heritage. They recalled the essential role of prevention, through early warning mechanisms, and of accountability for gross human rights violations. They also recalled the need to develop an education system that was genuinely inclusive of minorities in all decision-making processes. 82. A participant noted that work on emergency heritage protection required connecting with local populations, particularly internally displaced persons. Mr. Boccardi suggested that further attention be paid in heritage protection to the cultural rights of migrants, refugees and displaced persons. Ms. Izak-Ndiaye noted that, besides States’ obligations towards minorities who had resided in a territory for long periods, States must also address the cultural needs and aspirations of migrants. 83. A participant pointed to the role of the Internet, and women’s unmonitored access to it, in the preservation and creation of cultural heritage. In a written submission, the role of libraries in the preservation of cultural heritage and the need for effective policies to preserve collections of documentary heritage were also stressed. 84. Delegates supported the proposals to use the universal period review to address cultural heritage concerns and create a contact mechanism for consultation on cultural rights issues which would work across the United Nations system and with the Human Rights Council, the Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights, indigenous and community representatives, national Blue Shield committees, civil society organizations and academia. 85. A written submission provided details about the cultural banks in Mali referred to by Mr. Keita. The banks enabled rural populations to mobilize their cultural resources in a sustainable and efficient way to meet their social, cultural and economic development 12