ICH Safeguarding Efforts in the Asia-Pacific

Information on ICH safeguarding system, policy, organizations, and pending issues

  • East Asia

    • ICHCAP Field Survey Report on ICH Safeguarding Efforts in the East Asian Countries

    East Asian region is developed a rich of variety in the intangible heritage manifests, from oral traditions, performing arts, customs, and rituals to festivals, clothing, crafts, and food throughout the centuries. However, as with other counties in the Asia-Pacific region, which is a treasure house of ICH, traditional cultural heritage of East Asia was in a crisis of extinction due to shifts in industrial structures and the population outflow of younger generations to urban areas. In response, the Republic of Korea and Japan introduced the concept of intangible cultural heritage in policies related to safeguarding cultural heritage more than fifty years ago. Mongolia, with the support of its respective government, followed suit by establishing an institutional foundation for national ICH inventory making and ICH safeguarding after ratifying the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003). Moreover, in relation to ICH safeguarding activities, UNESCO Category 2 Centres, which support ICH safeguarding activities, have been simulataneously going through the establishment process in the Republic of Korea, China, and Japan. As a well-intentioned objective for the future activities, the three centres are making efforts to build a cooperative mechanism among themselves. Another effort made in the region is the establishment of the ICH safeguarding system in Mongolia. The government of Mongolia has drawn up a national ICH inventory and identified bearers as well. The countries in East Asia have been very active in safeguarding, and their participation at regional and international levels. Therefore, countries in the region need to build trust and collaborative relationships while safeguarding ICH at national, regional, and international levels.
    China

    China

    • Ratified the ICH Convention in 2004; conducted survey in 2014
    • As of March 2018, has 31 ICH elements on the RL, 7 elements on the USL, 1 element
      as GSP, and 2 accredited NGOs
    China
    • SummaryView
    • Safeguarding System & PolicyView
    • Intangible Cultural Heritage InventoryView
    • Relevant OrganisationsView
    • Relevant Meetings on ICHView
    • Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of HumanityView
    • List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent SafeguardingView
    • Register of Best Safeguarding PracticesView
    • List of Co-researchersView
    • Annex. PhotographsView
    Japan

    Japan

    • Accepted the ICH Convention in 2004; conducted survey in 2013
    • As of December 2014, has seventeen ICH elements on the RL and five accredited NGO
    Japan
    • SummaryView
    • Safeguarding System & PolicyView
    • Intangible Cultural Heritage InventoryView
    • Relevant OrganisationsView
    • Meetings on Intangible Cultural HeritageView
    • Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of HumanityView
    • Living Human Treasures SystemView
    • List of Co-researchersView
    • Annex | A PhotographsView
    • Annex | B (National Inventory : General Information/National Inventory: Lists/Criteria (Japanese))View
    Korea

    Korea (Republic of)

    • Accepted the ICH Convention in 2005; conducted survey in 2013
    • As of December 2014, has twenty-two ICH elements on the RL and eight
      accredited NGO
    Korea
    • SummaryView
    • Safeguarding System & PolicyView
    • Intangible Cultural Heritage InventoryView
    • Relevant OrganizationsView
    • Meetings on Intangible Cultural HeritageView
    • The Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of HumanityView
    • Living Human Treasures System (LHTS)View
    • Pending IssuesView
    • List of co-researchersView
    • Annex | Relevant LawsView
    Mongolia

    Mongolia

    • Ratified the ICH Convention in 2006; conducted survey in 2009
    • As of December 2014, has twelve ICH elements on the RL, five elements on the USL,
      and four accredited NGO
    • In December 2012, submitted its periodic report on implementing the Convention
      on the status of elements inscribed on the RL to UNESCO
    Mongolia
    • SummaryView
    • Safeguarding System & PolicyView
    • Intangible Cultural Heritage InventoryView
    • Relevant OrganizationsView
    • Relevant MeetingsView
    • The Intangible Heritage List of UNESCOView
    • Living Human Treasures System(LHTS)View
    • National List of Intangible Cultural HeritageView
    • Pending Issues & Urgent NeedsView
    • List of co-researchersView
    • Annex 1 | National List of Intangible Cultural HeritageView
    • Annex 2 | Photographs.pdfView
    • Annex 3 | Interviwee resources.pdfView