A/HRC/20/26/Add.2 medina. The Independent Expert encourages private-public sector partnerships in this area to contribute to the sustainable development and maintenance of tangible cultural heritage. 46. The Independent Expert was impressed by the work of the national mediatheque in Rabat and the Fès library to preserve cultural heritage. One main challenge is the preservation of ancient texts and manuscripts that have been coated in plastic. This coating is highly corrosive and threatens to completely destroy the manuscripts and documents. The mediatheque is in the process of removing the coating. However, the far older manuscripts in Fès, including the original works of Ibn-Khaldun, are in grave danger of being lost. The Independent Expert sees this as an instance where international cooperation and assistance would be highly beneficial and should be encouraged. In particular, support would ensure that archivists with the necessary skills and technological knowledge are able to assist smaller museums. 47. Also praiseworthy are the efforts of libraries in Rabat and Fès to encourage the participation and engagement with culture of young people by offering them areas for exhibitions, theatre and musical performances, as well as cinema screenings. It is important that these facilities be accessible to persons with disabilities. One outstanding example is the Rabat mediatheque, which is wheelchair-accessible, and has special cabins with Braille computers and printers installed for persons with visual impairment, and also caters for persons with hearing disabilities. 48. The Independent Expert commends the efforts made by a number of associations to participate in the identification, documentation and preservation of cultural heritage. Some have approached the Government to request that certain tangible objects be included in the list of national cultural heritage objects. The Independent Expert encourages authorities to consider such requests positively, especially given the new constitutional emphasis on preserving the diversity of the country’s cultural heritage. 49. The Independent Expert learned of a proposal currently pending with the Ministry of Culture and UNESCO to provide legal, financial and institutional support to “living human treasures”, denoting people with the requisite high degree of knowledge and skills to perform or recreate specific elements of intangible cultural heritage. The Independent Expert encourages such efforts as a way to safeguard the transmission of knowledge and skills relating to intangible cultural heritage to younger generations. In this regard, she stresses the need to also ensure appropriate documentation of the knowledge and skills employed by living human treasures using all available methods, including new information technologies. 50. The Independent Expert notes with interest the efforts made to convert the former detention centres of Ouarzazate, Zagora, Errachidia and Hay Mohammadi into projects of memory preservation museums, pursuant to the recommendations of the Equity and Reconciliation Commission. D. Support for cultural initiatives and respect for the right to freedom of association 51. The Independent Expert appreciates the considerable efforts made to organize various cultural festivals in most of the locations she visited. Particularly remarkable was the World Sacred Music Festival and the Forum of Fès, which brought together various musicians and artists aiming to create a space for intercultural dialogue. She underlines the importance of ensuring that local communities and artists are the main beneficiaries of these events. 12