ICH Safeguarding Efforts in the Asia-Pacific

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

home

Collecting Basic Information for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

Project Collecting Information on Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region

A large number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region have rich intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in diverse cultural environments. However, the wave of industrialization and urbanization have threatened the existence of this living heritage. Moreover, most countries in the region have not developed proper institutional measures for ICH safeguarding due to the lack of financial and technical factors. To implement appropriate ICH safeguarding activities by reflecting regional needs, it is very urgent to understand the current situations on ICH safeguarding in the region. Accordingly, ICHCAP has been collecting basic information on ICH safeguarding in the collaboration with the countries in the five sub-regions since 2009.

Prior to the project implementation, ICHCAP developed a questionnaire about the information to be collected with consultations from ICH experts. On the basis of the questionnaire, the countries prepare and submit a report including following items:

  • Safeguarding system and policy
  • ICH inventory
  • Relevant organizations
  • Representative List of the ICH of Humanity
  • Living Human Treasures system
  • Pending issues and urgent needs on ICH safeguarding

Each country submits some audiovisual materials on its major ICH elements along with the report, and these materials are used for enhancing visibility of ICH in the Asia-Pacific region.


이미지명   이미지명

Between 2009 and 2017, ICHCAP has conducted the project in thirty four countries as follows:

34 countries
Central Asia Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan
East Asia China, Japan, Korea (Republic of), Mongolia
South Asia Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey
Southeast Asia Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam, Malaysia
The Pacific Cook Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Papua New Guinea, Palau, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Kiribat

ICHCAP and the partner countries have achieved various outcomes—developing cooperative projects, building human resources pool, and expanding networks. Thanks to the great efforts by respected researchers in each country, the project, as a key programme in ICHCAP, has assisted in strengthening regional capacity and solidarity as well as international cooperation for safeguarding ICH in the region. ICHCAP will keep on its efforts over the next several years to cover all the Member States in the Asia-Pacific region.

By sharing the project results, we hope to assist the Member States to initiate more effective and more appropriate ICH safeguarding activities.