DUSHANBE, November 10, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- The U.S. Embassy is accepting project proposals for the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) 2009 competition, press release issued by the US Embassy in Dushanbe said.

This program aims at supporting the developing countries to preserve and extend the life of their cultural heritage. Projects under the AFCP must support preservation of historical and cultural sites, museums and archive collections, traditional music, dance or language.

AFCP supports preservation projects in the following three categories:

(A) CULTURAL OBJECTS AND COLLECTIONS from a museum, site, or similar institution (archaeological and ethnographic objects, paintings, sculpture, manuscripts, photographic and film collections, and general museum conservation activities);

(B) CULTURAL SITES (historic buildings and sites, sacred places, monuments, and archaeological sites);

(C) FORMS OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL EXPRESSION (traditional music, rituals, knowledge, languages, dance, drama, and crafts).

Project proposals must include or address the following: (A) Purpose and summary; (B) Description; (C) Timeframe; (D) Statement of significance; (E) Statement of urgency; (F) Detailed project budget; (G) Recipient information; (H) Resumes of the project director and professional staff; (I) Official permission to undertake the project; (J) Other funding sources, if any; (K) At least three digital images (JPEGs) or audiovisual files of the site, object, or form of expression to be addressed in the proposed project. Proposals that include local non-U.S. government cost-sharing (including in-kind) from sources such as governments, international organizations, and the private sector will have priority.

Project proposals must be submitted in English or Tajik / Russian with English translation no later than November 30, 2008