The Life of the Boi: Bumba-meu-boi and the Living Heritage of Maranhão

Bumba-meu-boi is a cultural complex from Maranhão that brings together music, dance, theatrical performance, religious devotion, storytelling, craftsmanship and festive celebration. At its center is the figure of the Boi, whose symbolic life follows a recurring cycle of birth, performance, death and renewal. The traditional narrative tells of Catirina and Pai Francisco, whose actions surrounding the death of a prized ox set the story in motion and eventually lead to its resurrection.The practice unfolds through a yearly cycle of rehearsals, the baptism of the Boi, public performances and the ritual of its death. Groups, known as Bois or batalhões, maintain distinct styles called sotaques, including Matraca, Baixada, Zabumba, Costa de Mão and Orquestra. Each has its own musical arrangements, instruments, costumes, movements and performance characteristics, making the cultural complex a constellation of related local traditions rather than a single standardized performance.

Voices in the Circle: Samba de Roda and the Living Heritage of Bahia

Samba de Roda is a communal musical and dance tradition rooted in the Recôncavo region of Bahia, where singing, percussion, handclapping and dance come together in a circular gathering. Participants form a roda while musicians establish the rhythm with instruments such as the pandeiro, atabaque and viola, accompanied by collective singing. One or more dancers enter the center of the circle to perform, often inviting another participant through gestures and movement before returning to the roda.The tradition encompasses more than a musical performance. Its repertoire carries verses, memories, humor and social commentary, while the gathering itself creates a space for celebration, interaction and belonging. Samba de Roda is practiced during religious celebrations, festivities, family gatherings and other community occasions, with variations in rhythm, repertoire and performance according to locality and occasion.

Patterns of Celebration: Mehndi and the Living Henna Tradition of India

In India, henna, widely known as mehndi, is a living practice of preparing and applying natural henna paste to the hands, feet and other parts of the body. The practice combines botanical knowledge, preparation techniques and artistic application, with designs ranging from fine floral and geometric patterns to motifs associated with particular communities, ceremonies and occasions. Mehndi is especially prominent at weddings and other celebrations, where its application becomes part of the preparation for an important moment in life.The practice is not limited to the finished design. It includes selecting and preparing henna leaves or powder, producing the paste, preparing the application cone and developing the ability to draw patterns directly onto the skin. The application itself can become a social gathering in which women, relatives, friends and professional mehndi artists interact, exchange songs and conversation, and participate in the preparation for a celebration. India's participation in the current

Circles of Light: Garba and the Living Heritage of Gujarat

Garba is a devotional and participatory dance tradition practiced throughout Gujarat, particularly during Navaratri, the nine-night festival associated with the worship of feminine divine energy, or Shakti. At the centre of the traditional dance space is a perforated earthen pot containing an oil lamp, known as a garbha-deep, or an image of the goddess Amba. Dancers form one or more circles around this centre, moving counter-clockwise while singing and clapping together. The dance begins with measured circular movements and gradually develops into faster, more energetic patterns of movement and whirling.Garba is much broader than the movement performed in the circle. The tradition brings together dancers, singers, instrumentalists, religious figures, costume and ornament makers, potters, organizers and audiences. Traditional neighbourhood Garbas continue alongside large contemporary gatherings in cities and towns, allowing the practice to move between intimate community spaces and major public celebrations. T

Silk, Gold and Speed: The Living Wine Horses of Caravaca

Every year from 1 to 3 May, the people of Caravaca de la Cruz in the Region of Murcia gather for the Wine Horses, a central tradition of the festivities dedicated to the Santísima y Vera Cruz. The horse is the protagonist of a sequence of activities that begins with its care throughout the year and culminates in its presentation, parade and celebrated ascent toward the castle. The most distinctive moment of the tradition is the enjaezamiento, the elaborate dressing of the horse in a complete set of embroidered pieces made with silk, coloured threads, gemstones and gold and silver ornamentation. Each set is specially produced for its horse and represents months of artistic and collective work.The celebration brings together two knowledge systems that have long been connected to the identity of Caravaca: horse breeding and wine-growing. On 2 May, four caballistas run alongside each horse during the timed ascent of the steep Castle Hill, creating a demanding demonstration of coordination between people and anima

Castells and the Living Tradition of Catalonia

Castells are human towers constructed by members of amateur colles castelleres, especially during annual festivities in towns and cities across Catalonia. Participants climb onto one another in carefully coordinated levels, while the pinya, a dense circle of supporters at ground level, provides the foundation. The upper levels, known as the pom de dalt, are formed by younger children, whose lightness allows the tower to reach its highest point. The enxaneta, traditionally a child, crowns the structure and signals its completion. Traditional clothing, including the faixa sash, white trousers and each colla's distinctive shirt, forms part of the practice. Music is inseparable from the performance. Players of the gralla, a traditional Catalan wind instrument, accompany the construction and provide an audible rhythm for the changing stages of the tower. The practice developed from eighteenth-century festive traditions in the Tarragona area and became an independent cultural expression during the nineteenth centur

White Threads of Passage: Elechek and the Living Heritage of Kyrgyz Women

Elechek is a traditional Kyrgyz women's headdress consisting of a hair cap and a very long piece of white fabric wrapped around the head in many layers like a turban. The fabric may extend to around 40 metres and is finished with embroidery, ribbons and jewellery. Its most significant ceremonial use is the wrapping of a bride's first elechek at her family's home before she leaves to join the groom. The ritual marks a major transition in a woman's life and is accompanied by blessings, rhyming chants and good wishes for her future.Elechek is not a single fixed design. Communities across Kyrgyzstan have developed different ways of wrapping and decorating it, reflecting local knowledge and aesthetic traditions. A married woman may wear the headdress at important occasions throughout her life, changing its form according to the occasion. In some mountainous communities, elechek has also remained part of everyday dress, demonstrating that the practice extends beyond the wedding ceremony into ordinary life.

Aitysh and the Improvising Poets of Kyrgyzstan

Aitysh is a living tradition of improvised oral poetry in which two akyns sit opposite one another and compose verses spontaneously in response to a topic, a question or the words of their counterpart. In Kyrgyzstan, the tradition is closely associated with the tokmo akyn, the poet-improviser who accompanies the performance on the komuz, Kyrgyzstan's traditional three-stringed instrument. The exchange can move rapidly between humor, satire, praise, philosophical reflection and observations about everyday life, requiring the performer to combine poetic language, musical rhythm, memory, wit and immediate judgment. UNESCO inscribed Aitysh/Aitys on the Representative List in 2015 as a shared element of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.Within Kyrgyz communities, Aitysh has long been part of gatherings and celebrations, from family occasions to larger public events. The audience is not simply a passive observer: subjects may be proposed by those present, and the performers respond to the social atmosphere around them. Thi

Voices of Essaouira: Gnawa Music, Ritual and Living Memory

Gnawa is a living Moroccan tradition in which music, dance, fraternal practices and therapeutic rituals come together across sacred and secular settings. Its musical language is led by the maâlem, the master musician, whose guembri accompanies sung poetry and is answered by the metallic rhythm of the qraqeb castanets, collective singing and dance. In ritual contexts, performances may form part of an overnight lila, where music, movement, invocation and communal participation create a sustained ceremonial experience. The tradition carries memories of communities whose histories are connected to sub-Saharan Africa, while its contemporary practice has become an established part of Morocco's diverse cultural identity. UNESCO inscribed Gnawa on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2019.Essaouira has become one of the most visible centers of Gnawa practice, with generations of maâlems developing distinctive musical lineages and transmitting knowledge through families, apprentic

Echoes of Morocco’s High Atlas: The Living Dance of Taskiwin

Taskiwin is a collective dance rooted in the western High Atlas of central Morocco. Its name comes from the richly decorated tiskt, the horn traditionally carried by each dancer. A group performs coordinated shoulder movements to the rhythm of tambourines and flutes, creating a highly physical choreography in which rhythm, posture and collective synchronization are inseparable. Historically associated with martial imagery, bravery and episodes of conflict, the dance has developed into a form performed during celebrations and community gatherings, where its social role is now more prominent than its martial origins.The practice is particularly associated with rural communities on the northern and southern slopes of the western High Atlas in Taroudant Province, including Touramat and Tigouliane. Its meaning comes not only from the movements but from the gathering itself: dancers, musicians and spectators share a performance space in which local memory, Amazigh expression and community relationships are renewed.

The Voice that Remembers: Mvet Oyeng in Gabon

In Gabon, Mvet Oyeng brings together the epic story, the storyteller, the musician and the instrument itself. The mbôm mvet, or Mvet storyteller, performs extended narratives accompanied by a traditional string instrument, singing and dancing. The audience may clap, sing, respond and interact with the storyteller, making the performance a shared act of remembering and interpretation. The tradition exists in sacred and popular forms. Sacred Mvet is connected to important occasions and follows more restricted processes of initiation, while popular Mvet is more flexible and appears in public celebrations and contemporary performancesWithin Gabon, the tradition has a particularly visible presence in the cultural life of the Ekang communities. Mvet narratives preserve histories, language, values and ideas concerning social relationships, while the performance itself creates a space in which knowledge can be heard, discussed and remembered collectively. The Gabonese expression of Mvet is therefore not limited to th

Hands of Black Clay: Pottery, Memory and Community in Ñuble

In Quinchamalí and Santa Cruz de Cuca, clay is transformed through a body of knowledge shaped by generations of practice. The distinctive pottery is recognized for its deep black surfaces, white decorative details and forms that range from household vessels to figures associated with rural life. Pieces such as the guitarrera and the three-legged pig carry local memories into clay, connecting the work of the potter with the cultural landscape and everyday imagery of central Chile.The making of each piece involves far more than shaping an object. Potters must know where to obtain suitable clay and other materials, how to prepare and work them, how to shape the desired form and how to control the processes that produce the characteristic black finish. The white designs are then added by hand, making each object a material expression of both inherited technique and individual creativity.

Dragon Boat Traditions: Community, Waterways and Collective Heritage in Foshan

In Foshan, the Dragon Boat Festival is not defined only by the moment a race begins. Each year, communities prepare their boats, renew relationships with waterways, gather crews and carry out ceremonies that connect the arrival of Duanwu with village identity and collective memory. Across areas such as Nanhai and Shunde, dragon boats become the focus of a wider cultural life involving ritual, craftsmanship, food, music, competition and cooperation. The waterways themselves become temporary cultural spaces in which communities gather to celebrate traditions that have been maintained across generations.Foshan's dragon boat culture is especially distinctive because of the diversity of its local practices. In Diejiao, long boats race through narrow and winding village canals, requiring crews to coordinate extraordinary movements around sharp bends. In Yanbu, the centuries-old Yanbu Old Dragon is brought from its resting place beneath the riverbed and awakened through annual rituals before returning to the water.

The Water-Splashing Festival: Renewal and New Year Traditions among the Dai People of Xishuangbanna

Each spring, the Dai New Year transforms Xishuangbanna into a period of renewal, gathering and collective celebration. Known internationally as the Water-Splashing Festival, the celebration is rooted in the Dai understanding of the transition from one year to another. Water carries wishes for purification, happiness and good fortune, and the act of splashing another person is traditionally understood as offering a blessing for the year ahead. The festival is therefore much more than the public spectacle for which it has become famous: it marks the beginning of a new annual cycle through a combination of ritual, social relationships and collective celebration.The relationship with water begins with practices that carry a more intimate and ceremonial meaning. Festival activities include the collection of water, the bathing of Buddha images and the use of water to express respect and blessings. One traditional form of blessing involves elders gently sprinkling younger people with water, while the more energetic

Sanyuesan: The Spring Song Fair and Cultural Traditions of Wuming

Each year, on the third day of the third lunar month, Sanyuesan brings together some of the most important folk traditions of Wuming's Zhuang communities. The festival is rooted in the collective cultural life of the people, creating a shared space in which folk songs, ancestral remembrance, food preparation, games, social interaction and seasonal celebration come together. Rather than being defined by a single ceremony or performance, Sanyuesan is formed through the participation of the community and the many folk practices that people continue to share and renew each spring.Folk singing occupies a central place within this cultural space. Through the tradition of the song fair, people gather to exchange songs, respond to one another and demonstrate their creativity and cultural knowledge through spontaneous expression. Singing traditionally creates opportunities for people to meet, form friendships, express affection and interact through a shared language of melody and poetic verse. A song is not simply per

The Living Culture of the White Swan and Yellow River Wetlands of Sanmenxia

Every winter, the arrival of white swans along the Yellow River wetlands gives Sanmenxia a distinctive seasonal rhythm. The birds return to wetlands, shallow waters and riverbanks where local communities have become accustomed to observing their movements and sharing the landscape with them. Over time, this seasonal relationship has developed into an important part of Sanmenxia's contemporary identity, reflected in the city's designation as the “Swan City” and in the many cultural, educational and community activities that accompany the winter season. The relationship is therefore understood not simply through the presence of the birds, but through the knowledge and practices that have developed around their return.People in Sanmenxia have learned to recognize the importance of keeping the wetlands quiet, clean and suitable for the birds. During the principal protection period, from October to March, activities that may disturb the swans, such as approaching them, feeding them, flying drones or making loud no

Jingdezhen Handicraft Porcelain-Making Techniques

Jingdezhen's porcelain-making heritage is built upon a highly specialized body of knowledge that brings together raw materials, manual skills, decorative practices, kiln knowledge and generations of experience. The craft begins with the preparation of porcelain materials and continues through forming, trimming, decoration, glazing, firing, selection and finishing. These processes are not isolated techniques: they depend on one another and require practitioners to understand how materials and techniques respond at every stage of production. This interconnected knowledge is what gives Jingdezhen's handicraft porcelain-making its distinctive character.The tradition developed over many centuries. Important forming techniques were already established during the Song period, while the Yuan period brought the development of the combination of porcelain stone and kaolin known as the “binary formula” and the refinement of blue-and-white underglaze decoration. During the Ming and Qing periods, the production system bec

White Terraces: Salt, Water and Community in Maras

On the slopes of the Sacred Valley of Cusco, thousands of small salt ponds descend through the landscape of Maras like a vast white terrace system. Their existence depends on a naturally saline spring whose water is guided through channels into individual evaporation ponds. Through repeated cycles of filling, evaporation, crystallization and harvesting, local producers transform saline water into salt. What appears from a distance to be a striking landscape is therefore also a highly specialized productive system maintained through generations of knowledge.Salt extraction in Maras has been practiced since pre-Hispanic times and continued through the Inca, colonial, republican and contemporary periods. Today, the practice remains closely associated with the peasant communities of Maras and Pichingoto, where knowledge of the ponds, techniques of extraction and forms of productive organization continue to be transmitted between generations. The continuity of these practices led Peru's National Institute of Cultu

When Ayacucho Walks in Faith: Semana Santa (Holy Week)

Semana Santa de Ayacucho is one of the most significant religious and cultural celebrations in Peru. Held annually according to the movable Catholic calendar, the celebration extends across eleven central days between March and April and brings processions, liturgical ceremonies, music, devotional practices, collective meals, festive gatherings and the decoration of religious images into the streets and churches of Ayacucho. The celebration has been associated with the city's colonial religious history, while its contemporary form is particularly connected to a continuity of more than 150 years. In 2022, the Ministry of Culture declared it Cultural Heritage of the Nation, recognizing it as the most important expression of faith and cultural identity within Ayacucho's festive calendar.What makes Ayacucho's Semana Santa especially significant as intangible cultural heritage is the way Catholic liturgy has become intertwined with popular forms of devotion and local cultural expression. The celebration is not exp

Pisco: Grapes, Craft and Memory in Ica

Pisco is a distilled spirit made from grapes and one of the most recognizable cultural products associated with Peru. Its identity is closely connected to the country's history of viticulture, coastal agriculture and distillation, but also to the people who have cultivated grapes, maintained bodegas and transmitted production knowledge across generations. Unlike a beverage defined only by its ingredients, pisco encompasses a wider body of knowledge concerning grape varieties, harvesting, fermentation, distillation, maturation, sensory evaluation and the appropriate conditions for producing the spirit.In Peru, pisco has acquired significance far beyond its role as an alcoholic beverage. It is present in national celebrations, gastronomy, hospitality, tourism and regional identity, and has become an important symbol through which Peruvians represent their cultural heritage. Its production also connects different periods of Peruvian history: the introduction of European grapevines during the colonial period, the

Ayni in Huilloc: Reciprocal Work and Community Life

Ayni is a traditional system of reciprocal labor in which a person or household provides work to another with the expectation that the assistance will later be returned under comparable conditions. In Huilloc, a Quechua community located in the Sacred Valley of Cusco, in the Patacancha Valley of Ollantaytambo, ayni remains associated with agricultural activities and other forms of mutual assistance among families and community members. The practice is grounded in relationships of trust, kinship and mutual obligation rather than monetary payment. The principle is considerably older than the Inca Empire. Historical research identifies reciprocal labor as a pre Inca practice that was incorporated into the social and economic organization of the Inca period. Within the ayllu, reciprocal exchanges supported household production and agricultural activities, while other labor systems such as minka and mit'a fulfilled different communal or state functions. Ayni therefore should not be understood as an exclusively Inc

Ch'arki: The Living Tradition of Andean Dried Meat

Ch'arki is one of the Andes' oldest food preservation traditions: meat is reduced to a durable form through drying, traditionally taking advantage of the combination of intense daytime sunlight, dry air and cold nighttime temperatures at high elevations. The technique allowed meat to remain usable for extended periods without refrigeration and transformed a highly perishable resource into food that could be stored, transported and consumed later.The tradition is particularly associated with the highlands of Peru and with camelid meat, especially llama and alpaca. However, ch'arki has never been a completely fixed product. Different regions have developed variations in the type of meat, size and preparation of the pieces, use of salt, drying conditions and ways of incorporating the finished product into local cuisine. Today, charqui remains consumed and produced in several Andean regions, including Puno, Cusco, Arequipa, Ayacucho and Huancavelica. In April 2026, Peru's National Institute of Quality approved a

Apus: The Cultural Tradition of Sacred Mountains in the Andes

Across the Andes, mountains can be understood as more than physical features of the landscape. In many Quechua communities, particular mountains are regarded as powerful beings with whom people maintain relationships of respect, reciprocity and communication. These mountains are commonly known as Apus.The Apu tradition encompasses a living body of knowledge and practice rather than a single ceremony. It includes oral narratives, sacred geography, offerings, prayers, agricultural and pastoral practices, ritual specialists, pilgrimage routes and ways of interpreting the relationship between people, mountains, water, animals and the wider landscape. In Cusco, mountains such as Ausangate, Pachatusan and Picol continue to occupy important places within local understandings of territory and ritual life.The concept should not be presented as a uniform belief shared identically by all Andean people. Each community has its own sacred geography, names, narratives and relationships with particular mountains. What connec

The Saqra Dance of Paucartambo

The Saqra Dance is one of the distinctive masked dance traditions performed during the Festival of the Virgin of Carmen in Paucartambo, Cusco. Its dancers appear as mischievous, supernatural beings with animal and human characteristics, moving through the streets, balconies and rooftops of the town while interacting theatrically with the sacred procession.The tradition combines dance, music, mask making, costume knowledge, theatrical character, religious devotion and community organization. The Saqra is not simply a representation of evil. Within the festive world of Paucartambo, the character occupies an ambiguous space between the sacred and the mischievous, the frightening and the humorous, and the human and the supernatural. The masks themselves transform the dancer into another social and symbolic being. The Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes the Saqras as playful devils whose anthropomorphic forms combine human and animal characteristics.The dance is practiced as part of the annual Festival

Adoration of the Three Kings in San Blas

The Adoration of the Three Kings is a religious theatrical tradition of San Blas in which the biblical story of the Magi and the Massacre of the Innocents is transformed into a community performance. Developed in the early twentieth century and traditionally presented in late December, the celebration brings together theatre, music, dance, children’s performance, religious devotion and neighborhood participation.More than a representation of a Christian story, the tradition embodies the cultural memory of San Blas. Its distinctive combination of Spanish and Quechua songs, local performance practices, costumed characters and community participation has made the event one of the most recognizable expressions of the historic artisan neighborhood.

Cooking with the Earth: The Living Tradition of Pachamanca in Peru

Some meals are prepared in kitchens.Others are prepared over fire.Pachamanca begins with the earth itself.Practiced for centuries throughout the Peruvian Andes and now celebrated across many regions of the country, pachamanca is a traditional method of cooking food beneath the ground using stones heated by fire. Its name derives from the Quechua words pacha (earth, world, or universe) and manka (pot), often interpreted as "earth oven." More than a culinary technique, pachamanca represents a living body of knowledge that integrates agriculture, ecology, engineering, seasonal cycles, and collective celebration. Families, neighbors, farmers, cooks, and entire communities continue preparing it during festivals, harvests, patron saint celebrations, family reunions, and other important social occasions where sharing food strengthens social bonds.Preparing a pachamanca begins long before cooking. Suitable stones must be carefully selected because not every type can safely withstand intense heat. A pit is prepared in

Rhythm Beyond the Wood: The Living Tradition of the Peruvian Cajón

Among Peru's most recognizable cultural symbols, the Peruvian cajón occupies a unique place because its origins reflect both resilience and artistic ingenuity. Today it accompanies concerts, family celebrations, dance performances, schools, and international stages, yet its history began with Afro-Peruvian communities that transformed ordinary wooden crates and shipping boxes into instruments capable of expressing identity, memory, and joy. From these humble beginnings emerged a musical tradition that demonstrates how creativity can flourish even under difficult historical circumstances.The cajón developed primarily along Peru's central and southern coast, where Afro-Peruvian communities cultivated rich musical traditions through singing, dancing, improvisation, and percussion. Without relying on elaborate instruments, musicians discovered that everyday wooden boxes could produce a remarkable range of sounds through different striking techniques, body position, and rhythmic patterns. Over generations, these p

Elegance in Motion: The Living Tradition of the Peruvian Paso Horse

Few cultural traditions express harmony between humans and animals as gracefully as the Peruvian Paso Horse. Developed over centuries on Peru's coastal valleys and rural estates, this unique equestrian tradition represents far more than the breeding of a distinguished horse. It encompasses specialized knowledge of horsemanship, careful animal care, craftsmanship, ceremonial presentation, and a style of riding that values smoothness, elegance, and mutual understanding above speed or competition. Through generations of breeders, riders, trainers, artisans, and families, the Peruvian Paso Horse has become a living symbol of Peru's rural identity and equestrian heritage.The origins of the tradition date back to the arrival of Iberian horses during the colonial period. Over time, the particular geography of Peru's coast, together with selective breeding and local riding practices, gave rise to a horse renowned for its naturally smooth gait, known as the paso llano. This four-beat lateral gait provides exceptional

When Maize Becomes Ceremony: The Living Tradition of Chicha de Jora in Peru

Long before the rise of the Inca Empire, communities across the central Andes had already discovered that maize could be transformed through fermentation into a beverage that nourished not only the body, but also social relationships. Known in Quechua as aqha, chicha de jora emerged from centuries of accumulated agricultural knowledge, observation of natural fermentation, and an intimate understanding of maize cultivation. Archaeological evidence demonstrates that fermented maize beverages were already prepared by pre-Hispanic societies long before the Incas, making chicha one of the oldest continuously practiced culinary traditions in Peru.Rather than remaining an everyday drink, chicha de jora gradually became one of the most significant ceremonial beverages of the Andes. During the Inca period, its preparation, distribution, and consumption acquired important religious, political, and social functions. It accompanied major state ceremonies such as Inti Raymi, agricultural rituals, communal work, diplomatic

Where the River Gives Life: The Feast of San Juan in the Peruvian Amazon

Every year on 24 June, communities throughout the Peruvian Amazon celebrate the Feast of San Juan, one of the region's most significant cultural events. Observed in Loreto, San Martín, Ucayali, Amazonas, Huánuco, and Madre de Dios, the celebration combines religious devotion, community gatherings, music, dance, traditional foods, and river rituals that reflect the close relationship between Amazonian societies and the waterways that sustain them. While honoring Saint John the Baptist, the festival has also become a broader celebration of life, nature, and community identity in the Amazon.The celebration involves families, neighborhood associations, Indigenous communities, musicians, cooks, artisans, market vendors, religious groups, and local authorities. One of its most recognizable traditions is the preparation and sharing of juane, a festive dish made of rice, chicken, spices, and other ingredients wrapped in bijao leaves. Rivers also play a central role in the festivities. Many participants gather along r

Where the Harvest Sings: The Vendimia Festival of Ica

Every year, as the vineyards of the Ica Valley reach maturity, communities gather to celebrate one of the most anticipated moments of the agricultural calendar: the Vendimia, or grape harvest. More than a seasonal festival, the celebration marks the culmination of months of cultivation, irrigation, pruning, and patient care devoted to the vineyards that have shaped the cultural landscape of southern Peru for centuries. Farmers, winemakers, families, artisans, musicians, and visitors come together to celebrate not only the harvest itself but also the collective effort that made it possible.The Vendimia is celebrated throughout the Ica Region, particularly in areas with a long tradition of grape cultivation and pisco production. Among its most emblematic moments is the traditional grape stomping, during which participants enter large wooden vats and crush freshly harvested grapes using their feet, recalling one of the oldest methods of extracting juice before modern technology. Music, dance, parades, local gast

When Joy Becomes Heritage: The Festejo of the Peruvian Coast

Along Peru's central and southern coast, particularly in the regions of Ica and Lima, the Festejo stands as one of the most vibrant expressions of Afro-Peruvian cultural heritage. Combining energetic dance, percussion, singing, improvisation, and communal celebration, the Festejo reflects centuries of cultural creativity developed by Afro-descendant communities. More than a performance, it is a living expression of identity that has accompanied family gatherings, local festivities, cultural events, and artistic celebrations while preserving memories, values, and traditions that continue to shape Peru's cultural diversity.The Festejo is practiced by musicians, dancers, cultural groups, families, educators, and community members, particularly in historic Afro-Peruvian communities such as El Carmen in the Chincha Valley and other coastal localities. Its characteristic rhythm is created through the interaction of traditional instruments including the cajón peruano, the quijada (made from the jawbone of a donkey o

The Tree That Belongs to Everyone: The Yunza Celebration

Across many regions of Peru, particularly in the central Andes, the northern highlands, and parts of the Amazon, communities celebrate a festive tradition known by different names, including Yunza, Cortamonte, and Umisha. Although local customs vary, they all share a common practice: a tree is decorated with gifts, ribbons, fruits, household items, toys, and colorful ornaments, becoming the symbolic center of Carnival festivities. Throughout the celebration, music, dance, laughter, and communal participation transform the tree into a temporary gathering place where prosperity is shared rather than possessed.The celebration is practiced by entire communities, including families, neighbors, musicians, dancers, local authorities, and Carnival organizers. Participants dance in circles around the decorated tree while couples or individuals take turns striking its trunk with an axe or machete. As each participant makes only a few symbolic cuts before passing the tool to the next, the activity becomes a collective e

The Wisdom of Water: The Amunas of the Andes

High in the central Andes of Peru, communities have safeguarded for centuries an ingenious system for managing one of their most precious resources: water. Known as amunas, these ancestral hydraulic systems capture rainwater and seasonal runoff during the wet season, guiding it through carefully constructed stone-lined channels into permeable mountain soils. Rather than transporting water directly to fields, the system allows it to infiltrate underground, where it is naturally stored before reappearing months later through springs that sustain agriculture and communities during the dry season.The knowledge associated with the amunas continues to be practiced principally in the province of Huarochirí, in the Lima Region, where local communities organize the annual maintenance, cleaning, and operation of the canals through collective labor. Elders, farmers, communal authorities, and younger generations work together to inspect channels, remove vegetation, repair stone structures, and monitor water flow accordin

One Melody, Many Voices: The Sikuri Musical Tradition

Across the highlands surrounding Lake Titicaca and throughout southern Peru, the sound of the siku, the traditional Andean panpipe, has accompanied community celebrations, agricultural cycles, religious festivities, and social gatherings for centuries. The musical tradition known as Sikuri is practiced in regions such as Puno, Cusco, Moquegua, Tacna, and parts of Arequipa, where groups of musicians perform collectively during festivals and communal events. More than a musical genre, Sikuri represents a distinctive philosophy of making music together, in which harmony can only be achieved through cooperation among performers.Unlike many musical traditions where one performer is capable of playing an entire melody, Sikuri is based on a complementary system. The notes of a melody are divided between two different types of panpipes, commonly known as ira and arka. Each musician performs only part of the musical phrase, requiring constant coordination with others to complete the melody. This interdependence transf

Threads That Speak: The Textile Art of Taquile Island

Rising from the waters of Lake Titicaca, Taquile Island is home to one of Peru's most distinctive textile traditions, where weaving and knitting serve not only as artistic practices but also as a means of communication, identity, and social organization. For centuries, the island's inhabitants have developed sophisticated textile techniques that express community values, family heritage, and individual responsibilities. Every garment carries meanings that extend beyond decoration, reflecting a living cultural system in which textiles function as symbols understood by members of the community.The textile tradition is practiced collectively by the inhabitants of Taquile Island, located in the Puno Region. Men are renowned for knitting finely crafted chullo hats and other knitted garments from an early age, while women specialize in weaving and embroidery using techniques transmitted within their families. The colors, patterns, materials, and styles of each textile often communicate information such as marital s

Reawakening the Sun: Inti Raymi of Cusco

Every year on 24 June, the city of Cusco becomes the stage for Inti Raymi, the Festival of the Sun, one of Peru's most emblematic cultural celebrations. Inspired by descriptions recorded in early colonial chronicles and rooted in the ceremonial traditions of the Inca civilization, the event commemorates the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, a moment that historically marked the renewal of the agricultural cycle and reaffirmed the relationship between society, nature, and the Sun, revered as a life-giving force.Today, the celebration unfolds across several of Cusco's most significant historical spaces, including Qorikancha, the Plaza de Armas, and the archaeological complex of Sacsayhuamán. It brings together performers, musicians, traditional artisans, historians, cultural practitioners, local authorities, students, residents, and visitors who collectively recreate one of the most important public ceremonies associated with the Inca world. Through carefully prepared costumes, ceremonial speeches in

From Sea to Table: The Living Heritage of Ceviche

Along Peru's Pacific coast, the preparation of ceviche represents far more than the creation of one of the country's most iconic dishes. It is a living body of knowledge that brings together artisanal fishing, the careful selection of fresh ingredients, culinary techniques, and social customs that have been transmitted across generations. Although recipes vary among coastal regions, the essential principles remain the same: respect for the freshness of the fish, balance of flavors, and the skill required to transform simple ingredients into a dish that reflects Peru's rich maritime heritage.The preparation of ceviche is practiced throughout Peru's coastal communities by artisanal fishers, market vendors, cooks, families, culinary professionals, and local residents. Knowledge is transmitted in homes, traditional eateries, fishing communities, culinary schools, and public markets, where experience teaches how to identify suitable fish species, prepare citrus marinades, slice ingredients correctly, and achieve t

Voices of the Forest: The Esuwa Oral Tradition of the Harakbut People

Deep within the tropical forests of the Madre de Dios Region, the Harakbut people have safeguarded for generations a remarkable oral tradition known as the Esuwa. These ceremonial sung prayers are performed on specific occasions and express a profound relationship between people, nature, spirituality, and collective memory. Unlike many forms of intangible cultural heritage that depend on physical objects or public performances, the Esuwa exist entirely through the spoken and sung word, making them one of Peru's most delicate and valuable forms of living heritage.The Esuwa are practiced by members of Harakbut communities, particularly among the Wachiperi people, where elders and individuals recognized for their cultural knowledge serve as the principal bearers of the tradition. The sung prayers are closely associated with traditional beliefs, healing practices, social values, and the transmission of ancestral knowledge. Their performance requires not only linguistic fluency but also a deep understanding of the

Guardians of the Vicuña: The Communal Chaccu

High in the Andean puna, where vast grasslands stretch across the mountains of Peru, communities continue to practice the Chaccu, an ancestral communal roundup of wild vicuñas that combines environmental stewardship, traditional knowledge, and collective organization. Practiced in regions such as Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Apurímac, Cusco, Arequipa, and Puno, the Chaccu follows techniques that have existed since pre-Hispanic times, allowing communities to harvest the valuable fiber of the vicuña without harming the animals before releasing them back into their natural habitat.The practice involves entire communities, including local authorities, herders, families, students, conservation specialists, and volunteers. Participants form long human chains that gradually guide vicuñas toward temporary enclosures, where trained personnel carefully shear the animals before returning them to the wild. The event is often accompanied by traditional ceremonies expressing gratitude to nature and respect for the vicuña, reinf

Echoes of Freedom: Hatajo de Negritos and Las Pallitas of the Southern Coast

Every year during the Christmas season, towns across the regions of Ica and southern Lima come alive with the rhythmic sounds of violin, bells, songs, and zapateo as groups perform the Hatajo de Negritos and Las Pallitas. These two complementary cultural expressions combine music, dance, poetry, and religious devotion in celebrations dedicated to the Nativity. Although each has its own distinctive style, they are traditionally performed as part of the same festive cycle, reflecting the cultural diversity and historical experiences of Peru's southern coast.The Hatajo de Negritos is practiced primarily by Afro-Peruvian communities, while Las Pallitas is traditionally performed by women's groups from the same localities. Together, they represent a remarkable example of how different sectors of society participate in a shared celebration while maintaining their own artistic identities. Participants include singers, dancers, violinists, community leaders, families, and local residents who prepare throughout the ye

Wititi Dance of the Colca Valley

Across the dramatic landscapes of the Colca Valley, in the Arequipa Region, the Wititi Dance continues to unite communities through music, movement, and traditional dress. Performed during religious festivities, agricultural celebrations, and civic events, the dance represents one of the most recognizable cultural expressions of southern Peru. Its origins reflect centuries of interaction between Indigenous Andean traditions and later historical influences, resulting in a dynamic practice that has remained deeply rooted in the everyday life of the Colca Valley. Rather than existing solely as a staged performance, the Wititi forms part of a broader cultural system that celebrates local identity and reinforces community relationships.The dance is practiced by community members, traditional musicians, dancers, families, and local cultural groups throughout the Colca Valley. Distinctive costumes, including carefully embroidered hats, colorful skirts, woven garments, and traditional accessories, identify participan

Sarhua Painted Boards (Tablas de Sarhua)

In the Andean district of Sarhua, located in the Ayacucho Region, a newly built house is traditionally welcomed with a remarkable painted wooden board that tells the story of the family who will inhabit it. Known as the Tablas de Sarhua (Sarhua Painted Boards), this artistic tradition combines painting, storytelling, genealogy, and community memory into a single cultural expression. The custom dates back several centuries and originated as a symbolic gift presented during the construction of a new home. Rather than serving solely as decoration, each board documents important aspects of family life, portraying relatives, occupations, shared responsibilities, religious beliefs, agricultural work, and significant events through colorful illustrations accompanied by written descriptions.The tradition is preserved by local artists, artisan families, apprentices, and community members, who continue to produce painted boards using techniques refined over generations. A typical board is created on a long wooden plank

Retablo Ayacuchano Craft Tradition

Behind the colorful doors of a retablo ayacuchano lies a miniature world that tells stories of faith, daily life, history, and celebration. These handcrafted wooden boxes, filled with carefully modeled and painted figures, are among the most distinctive artistic traditions of the Ayacucho Region in the central Peruvian Andes. Their origins can be traced to colonial-era portable altars brought by Spanish missionaries, which gradually merged with Indigenous artistic traditions. Over time, local artisans transformed these religious objects into expressive cultural narratives that portray not only sacred themes but also agricultural activities, festivals, family life, markets, and significant historical events.The tradition is maintained by artisan families, craftspeople, apprentices, and local communities, many of whom acquire the necessary skills through years of observation and practical experience. The creation of a retablo involves multiple stages, including woodworking, sculpting miniature figures from a mi

Marinera Dance Tradition

Graceful movements, elegant attire, and the rhythmic waving of white handkerchiefs define the Marinera, Peru's national dance and one of the country's most celebrated cultural expressions. While several regional styles exist, including Marinera Norteña, Marinera Limeña, and Marinera Serrana, the tradition is especially associated with the city of Trujillo, in the La Libertad Region, where it occupies a central place in local cultural life. The dance emerged during the nineteenth century from the fusion of Indigenous, Spanish, and Afro-Peruvian cultural influences, reflecting Peru's diverse historical heritage. Its current name, Marinera, was adopted in honor of the Peruvian Navy following the War of the Pacific, replacing the earlier designation Zamacueca.The Marinera is practiced by dancers, musicians, instructors, students, families, and cultural communities throughout Peru. It is performed during civic celebrations, regional festivals, cultural events, competitions, and family gatherings, with participatio

Festival of the Virgin of Candelaria

On the shores of Lake Titicaca, the city of Puno hosts one of the largest and most elaborate cultural celebrations in South America: the Festival of the Virgin of Candelaria. Celebrated annually during the first half of February, the festival honors the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron saint of Puno, while reflecting the deep interaction between Catholic traditions introduced during the colonial period and longstanding Andean beliefs. Over centuries, these influences have merged into a celebration where religious devotion, music, dance, craftsmanship, and community participation are inseparable. Today, the festival is recognized as one of Peru's most significant expressions of living cultural heritage.Preparation for the celebration extends throughout the year. The festival is sustained by dance groups, musicians, artisans, embroidery workshops, neighborhood associations, local residents, and pilgrims, all of whom contribute to different aspects of the event. Thousands of performers participate in choreograph

Lord of the Miracles Procession (Señor de los Milagros)

Every October, the city of Lima is transformed by a sea of purple as hundreds of thousands of devotees gather to participate in the Procession of the Lord of the Miracles (Señor de los Milagros), one of the largest religious processions in the world. The celebration centers on a revered mural depicting the crucified Christ, painted in the mid-seventeenth century by an Afro-Peruvian man of Angolan origin in the Pachacamilla neighborhood. According to tradition, the mural remained standing after the devastating earthquakes of 1655, 1687, and 1746, events that inspired widespread devotion and led the image to be regarded as miraculous. What began as a local expression of faith within an Afro-descendant community gradually evolved into a tradition embraced by people from every social background, becoming one of the strongest symbols of Lima's cultural and religious identity.Rather than being confined to a single ceremony, the celebration unfolds through a series of processions held on several dates throughout Oct

Caballitos de Totora Reed Boat Tradition

Along the Pacific coast of northern Peru, the shoreline of Huanchaco, in the La Libertad Region, is characterized by the presence of slender reed boats resting on the sand after a day at sea. Known as caballitos de totora ("little reed horses"), these handcrafted vessels have been used for fishing for more than two thousand years, making them one of the oldest continuously practiced maritime traditions in the Americas. Archaeological evidence indicates that similar reed boats were already employed by pre-Columbian coastal societies long before the rise of the Inca Empire. Despite technological advances in modern fishing, the tradition remains an enduring symbol of the relationship between coastal communities and the Pacific Ocean.The knowledge required to build and operate the boats is preserved by traditional fishermen, artisan families, and coastal residents of Huanchaco. Each vessel is carefully handcrafted using totora reeds harvested from nearby wetlands, where the plants are cultivated and managed accor

Qoyllur Rit'i Pilgrimage

Long before reaching the sanctuary, thousands of pilgrims begin a journey through the high Andes toward the Sinakara Valley, at the foot of the snow-capped Ausangate Mountain in the Cusco Region. Known as the Qoyllur Rit'i Pilgrimage, this annual event is among the largest religious gatherings in the Peruvian Andes, bringing together participants from numerous provinces and communities. Celebrated each year between May and June, shortly before the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi, the pilgrimage reflects the coexistence of Indigenous Andean beliefs and Christian traditions. The name Qoyllur Rit'i, often translated as "Star of the Snow", evokes the close relationship between the surrounding glaciers, the night sky, and the spiritual significance attributed to the mountain landscape.The pilgrimage attracts pilgrims, Indigenous Quechua communities, musicians, dancers, and traditional ritual specialists who travel on foot, often covering long distances over several days. Organized groups known as naciones represe

Huaconada Ritual Dance

Every year during the first days of January, the quiet district of Mito, located in Peru's central Junín Region, becomes the setting for the Huaconada Ritual Dance, a ceremonial tradition distinguished by its imposing wooden masks, solemn choreography, and strong symbolic character. At the heart of the celebration are the huacones, masked figures who temporarily assume the role of moral guardians within the community. Their presence represents authority, wisdom, and justice, embodying ancestral principles that encourage respect for social order and communal values. While the celebration is closely linked to the local New Year festivities, its origins are believed to predate the colonial period, preserving elements of pre-Hispanic ceremonial practices that have endured through centuries of cultural continuity.The tradition is maintained by local residents, traditional dancers, musicians, mask makers, and artisan families who prepare for the celebration well in advance. One of the most distinctive elements of t

Scissors Dance (Danza de las Tijeras)

The sharp metallic sound produced by two polished steel blades striking together is the defining feature of the Scissors Dance (Danza de las Tijeras), a centuries-old cultural expression that has become one of the most recognizable symbols of the Peruvian Andes. Far more than an exhibition of agility, the dance combines music, ritual, endurance, and artistic excellence into a single performance. It is practiced mainly in the Andean regions of Ayacucho, Huancavelica, Apurímac, and parts of Arequipa, where it forms an essential part of local cultural life. The dance originated during the colonial period, when Indigenous ritual specialists adapted ancestral ceremonial traditions within a changing social and religious environment. Over time, these practices evolved into a unique artistic expression that continues to reflect Andean beliefs, values, and identity.Performances are commonly held during patron saint festivals, religious celebrations, harvest festivities, and other important communal events throughout t

Cajamarca Carnival Parade

The Cajamarca Carnival Parade is one of Peru's most celebrated festive traditions and is widely regarded as the country's most representative carnival celebration. It takes place in the city of Cajamarca, located in the northern Peruvian Highlands, where neighborhoods, families, musicians, dancers, artisans, and visitors collectively transform the city into a vibrant cultural space filled with music, costumes, dance, and public celebrations. Although carnival festivities have European origins associated with the period preceding Lent, the Cajamarca Carnival has evolved into a distinctive cultural expression that blends Spanish colonial influences with local Andean traditions. The modern form of the festival became firmly established during the early twentieth century and has since become one of the strongest symbols of Cajamarca's regional identity.The celebration is held every year between February and early March, depending on the Christian liturgical calendar. Preparations begin several weeks in advance as

Bohada: Masks, Myths and Community Rituals of Tribal Maharashtra

Bohada is a masked ritual theatre practiced by tribal communities living in Palghar, Thane and Nashik districts of Maharashtra state in western India. The tradition is sustained by the Kokna, Warli, Mahadev Koli, Malhar Koli, Dhor Koli, Thakar and Katkari communities. living in villages like Pimpalsond, Barhe, Mokhada and many others. The festival occurs after harvest , usually between the months of March to May. It lasts for three days in most villages, extending up to a fortnight in some. Ritually, Bohada is performed to please Goddess Adimata or Bhavani to protect the village from calamities, to invoke auspiciousness, ensure good rains and harvest, and to reaffirm collective well-being. The core performance re-enacts the victory of Goddess Jagdamba over Mahishasura, embodying the triumph of protective forces. Her mask is venerated on the third day and presented with a grand feast. Through night long processions, music, oral narration and stylised movement, the village becomes a shared ritual space whe

Warli Painting of Maharashtra, India

Warli painting is a traditional visual art practice of the Warli indigenous community inhabiting the western coastal region of India, particularly in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. In the tribal belts of Palghar, Warli extends beyond art; it is a way of life. The community’s folklore, rich with deities such as Palghat Devi, the goddess of fertility and the protector of the community, and Waghoba—the tiger god—finds expression through both painting and storytelling. Village scenes—depicting farming, dancing, and communal life—form central themes within this practice. Using a vocabulary of basic geometric shapes, the paintings reflect everyday routines, where each figure can signify fertility, harvest, or celebration.Rituals are central to Warli identity, and their visual language brings these sacred moments to life. The sacred Chawk, a ritual square composition, is created to invoke the happiness and harmony of conjugal life. Marriage ceremonies are marked by the Chawk, featuring Palghat Devi, surrounded

2026 JIAPICH Finalists Announcement

Thank you for your interest in and participation in the 8th edition of the Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH).We were honored to receive an unprecedented number of applications from around the world, making this year's selection process one of the most competitive in the history of the awards. This remarkable level of participation reflects the growing global commitment of communities, organizations, and individuals dedicated to safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and ensuring its transmission to future generations. We would also like to express our sincere appreciation to all applicants for sharing their inspiring initiatives, experiences, and achievements. The jury members were deeply impressed by the diversity, quality, and impact of the submissions received. Following a rigorous evaluation process conducted by an international jury, we are pleased to announce the selected laureates of the 2026 JIAPICH Awards, as well as the backup candidates who received

Eleventh session of the 2003 Convention’s General Assembly on 17 and 18 June 2026

The eleventh session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will be held at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, from Wednesday 17 to Thursday 18 June 2026. Over the course of two days, States Parties will gather to discuss key priorities for the future implementation of the Convention, with a view to strengthening international cooperation and supporting States and communities worldwide in safeguarding and transmitting their living heritage.The main items on the agenda include: the reports to the General Assembly by the Intergovernmental Committee and by the Secretariat on their respective activities (January 2024 to December 2025), the proposed revisions to the Operational Directives for the implementation of the Convention, the Plan for the use of the resources of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund in 2026 and 2027, the accreditation of new non-governmental organizations, as well as the election of twelve new Committee members.An I

Daksha | Crafting Voices - Celebrating living heritage of eastern India

Daksha:Crafting Voices is being organised at The Kunj, New Delhi, by Contact Base (www.banglanatak.com) in collaboration with the Development Commissioner (Handicraft), Government of India. The exhibition will be held from June 9–21, 2026, at The Kunj, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.DAKSHA highlights processes of experimentation and co-creation, positioning rural artisans as creative collaborators and knowledge holders while reimagining craft as a living, adaptive contemporary practice.The exhibition features Sabai, Kashi grass, bamboo, Seraikela Chhau and Wooden masks, Kantha embroidery, Patachitra, and terracotta traditions from West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand in eastern India. It highlights their material intelligence, ecological relevance, and evolving design vocabulary for contemporary spaces and lifestyles. At its core, the exhibition seeks to reposition craft as a contemporary, collaborative, and future-facing practice. Alongside the exhibition, DAKSHA is hosting talks, workshops, round tables, and demonstra

Traditional White Blankets of Huánuco: Backstrap Loom Weaving by Crestina Jara Vega

Crestina Jara Vega is a Peruvian textile artisan from Huánuco who specializes in the creation of traditional white blankets using the ancestral backstrap loom technique. Her work is based on knowledge transmitted from generation to generation and contributes to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.Through handmade weaving, the selection of fibers, ancestral designs, and manual finishes, she preserves a textile tradition that reflects the cultural identity of her community. Her practice includes the production of white blankets, table runners, and decorative textiles.Crestina also promotes this heritage through artisan fairs, demonstrations, workshops, and cultural dissemination spaces, where she shares the cultural value and production process of traditional textiles with the public and younger generations.

AWAJUN POTTERY

Josefa Nolte's work has brought together actors at different levels, always with the conviction that the community must be the center and the ultimate goal of any cooperative effort. At the local level, she has supported the consolidation of the Cenepa Association of Mothers and Potters as a legitimate and autonomous representative of public institutions, successfully persuading the Municipality of El Cenepa to build a dedicated space for the exhibition and sale of their products. At the national level, she has facilitated the inclusion of Awajún pottery in the country's main museums and cultural spaces, contributing decisively to its recognition as a National Cultural Heritage in 2017 and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO (2021) are the accumulated result of decades of sustained work, and have had the collateral effect of awakening in other Awajún communities the interest in recovering this practice, generating a revitalization movement that transcends Cocoashi.Josefa Nolte's approach has pr

MASTER GERASIMO SOSA ALACHE

Gerasimo Sosa Alache, master of traditional Peruvian craftsmanship, was born on March 16, 1953, in Chulucanas, Piura, Peru. The son of a potter of Tallán cultural heritage, he learned ceramic techniques from his father, Don Andres Sosa Ruiz, from a very young age, assisting him in the workshop in the production of ceramics for the local community. During his youth, Gerasimo demonstrated artistic talent in drawing and painting through self-taught study, skills that he later applied to ceramic art. Gerasimo developed a unique ceramic style by shaping pottery into human figures, adding heads and arms to vessels. This sculptural approach was later known as the “Gorditos de Chulucanas,” representing a fundamental reimagining of traditional pottery within a contemporary artistic context. It is important to note that pottery traditions in northern Peru had entered into decline: people were no longer purchasing clay artifacts, preferring aluminum and iron alternatives; water was no longer stored in large clay contain

Betsi Yovana Llaza Andia – Bearer and transmitter of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Andean textile traditions from the Colca Valley

Betsi Yovana Llaza Andia is a bearer of ancestral knowledge from the Colca Valley (Arequipa, Peru), linked to the intangible cultural heritage of Andean textile traditions. Her practice focuses on the preservation of hand-spinning, natural dyeing, and traditional weaving with alpaca fiber, transmitted intergenerationally through observation, hands-on practice, and oral tradition.Her work contributes to the continuity of Andean indigenous knowledge systems, strengthening cultural identity, collective memory, and a worldview based on the relationship with nature, Pachamama, reciprocity, and community life.She also actively promotes the safeguarding of living heritage through community teaching, the participation of younger generations, and the transmission of knowledge within family and cultural spaces in the Colca Valley.

First International Meeting of Mask Artists in Peru

The First International Meeting of Mask Artists was held in Paucartambo, Cusco, Peru, from July 13 to July 16, 2024, bringing together more than 50 traditional mask artists from Peru and several Latin American countries including Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, and Puerto Rico. The event was organized by the Provincial Municipality of Paucartambo together with local cultural promoters and master mask makers. Its main objective was to preserve, promote, and strengthen the ancestral tradition of mask-making as an essential element of intangible cultural heritage.

Safeguarding and transmission of the ancestral textile art of Palca as intangible cultural heritage of the Peruvian Altiplano.

I am Tiodoro Pacco Choque, a master textile artisan from the district of Palca, province of Lampa, in the Puno region of Peru, and a bearer of ancestral knowledge linked to the traditional textile art of the Peruvian Altiplano. For more than thirty-five years, I have dedicated my life to the safeguarding, practice, and intergenerational transmission of textile techniques inherited from my ancestors—knowledge that forms part of the historical and cultural memory of the Andean communities of southern Peru. My learning process began during childhood within my family and community, observing and practicing alongside my father and the elders of my community the traditional techniques of hand-spinning, dyeing with natural pigments, the use of the stake loom and pedal loom, as well as the interpretation of ancestral designs and iconographies. This knowledge was not acquired merely as a productive trade, but as part of a way of life deeply connected to nature, the raising of South American camelids, communal organiza

Traditional Ceramics of Ccaccasiri

The traditional ceramics of Ccaccasiri express the diversity of pre-Hispanic pottery from the central highlands of Peru. Their production preserves techniques, forms, and styles inherited from previous generations, connected to daily life, rituals, festivities, and community practices.This tradition is characterized by the use of local clays, especially black and red clay, and other materials native to the territory, as well as by the manual creation of pieces inspired by pre-Hispanic models. These include pots, plates, urpus, water-carrying vessels, ceremonial cups, and pieces used in ritual and festive contexts.

The Cultural Identity of Catacaos in the Sculpture of Óscar Aquino Ipanaqué

Óscar Aquino Ipanaqué is a renowned sculptor and artisan from Catacaos, Piura, whose work represents the cultural identity of the Tallán people and the artistic traditions of the region. His sculptures stand out for their woodcarving techniques and for portraying traditional, religious, and social scenes that are characteristic of Piuran culture.Through his artistic work, Aquino preserves the cultural roots of Catacaos by transmitting ancestral knowledge and strengthening the value of Peruvian folk art. His works have been exhibited both nationally and internationally, making him an important representative of traditional Peruvian sculpture.His artistic production combines creativity, cultural memory, and symbolic representations of everyday life in northern Peru, especially within the Tallán and Cataquense communities.,

The living legacy of traditional ceramics in the Sanchez Family, from my homeland of Quinua

The Sánchez family legacy, as narrated by my father, Mamerto Sánchez, tells us this: “Throughout my life, I learned from my father, Don Santos, and my grandfather, Don Francisco, who instilled in me the importance of keeping our culture alive through ceramic art. Later, I took advanced technical courses, which helped me improve, but the teachings of my father and grandfather were even more influential. They were my great teachers and left me with a profound message: to develop the artistic expressions they taught me with great patience, based on remembering the stories, legends, festivals, customs, and myths of our people. In this way, the tradition of pottery making in Quinua and Ayacucho is maintained through artistic expression. We are now the third, fourth, and fifth generations (father, children, and grandchildren) carrying on the work of transmitting this beautiful craft and tradition of Ayacucho pottery from my hometown of Quinua.”

Sustaining the Sea: Communities, Knowledge, and the Safeguarding of Maritime Intangible Cultural Heritage in Pachacamac, Peru

The project develops community-based training, educational, and identity-strengthening initiatives aimed at transmitting the importance and value of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) associated with coastal and maritime practices. Implemented in direct collaboration with actual artisanal fishing communities —including the Asociación de Pescadores Artesanales Las Islas de Punta Hermosa and fishers from El Silencio, Pucusana, and San Pedro de Lurín— these actions recognize local actors as key holders of traditional knowledge.The project focuses on the identification, documentation, and revitalization of this knowledge through participatory workshops, field-based learning, and collaborative documentation processes, supporting the transmission of ecological knowledge, fishing techniques, resource management practices, and cultural relationships with the sea. It integrates interdisciplinary educational components for students, researchers, and community members, combining archaeology, ethnography, and applied tec

ICH NGO FORUM - 2026 Newsletter

The first newsletter of the year from the ICH NGO Forum has been published.This edition introduces key updates on the Forum’s future direction, including the upcoming General Assembly in Paris, the expected accreditation of new NGOs to the 2003 Convention, and ongoing efforts to strengthen the Forum’s strategy and internal governance.It also highlights the valuable contributions of the Working Groups, whose dedication continues to support the Forum’s collective work in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.We invite everyone interested in intangible cultural heritage and international cooperation to read the newsletter and stay engaged with the Forum’s activities.Read the Newsletter : [Click here]

TEXTILES QUISPE: Weaving technique and Family Tradition

The Asociación de Artesanos Textiles Quispe is a family-based artisan workshop founded approximately in 1988 in Ayacucho, Peru, by Wilber Quispe Huamán and Pascuala Paredes Fernández, who together built a shared life around the ancient art of Andean foot-loom weaving. The workshop's origins trace back further: Wilber learned the craft from a family master weaver in Ayacucho city a relative who had inherited the tradition throughgenerations of practice rooted in the pre-Inca and Inca textile legacy of the Andes. In the early 1990s, the family relocated to Lurín, in the southern outskirts of Lima, bringing their looms, knowledge, and cultural identity with them. Over nearly four decades, what began as a two-person endeavor has grown into a six-member family workshop, with skills and values passed down to the next generation.The workshop specializes in hand-spun, naturally dyed wool weaving using traditional pedal Ayacuchan floor looms. Dyes are extracted from plants and cochineal, following techniques that pre

Roots of Amazonian Handicraft: Weaving and Family Tradition

Since I was 7 years old, I learned the art of natural weaving from my grandmother. She taught me the stitches, the Amazonian designs, and the symbols that represent our tradition.Over time, I continued perfecting this technique together with my siblings, and today we continue to pass on this passion for weaving, natural dyeing, and handmade jewelry. These works take us months to complete, but we always make them with love and dedication.

Ultra-Fine Manta Blanca of Tambogán, Cultural Heritage of the Nation

The ultra-fine Manta Blanca of Tambogán has been recognized as Cultural Heritage of the Nation due to its significant historical, cultural, and social value, as it constitutes a representative expression of the identity of the communities of the district of Tambogán, in the Huánuco region.This textile manifestation stands out for the preservation of traditional weaving techniques using the backstrap loom, transmitted from generation to generation. These techniques reflect ancestral knowledge related to the use of fibers, spinning processes, natural dyeing, and artisanal garment-making. Such knowledge constitutes a living cultural legacy that strengthens the continuity of traditional practices over time.Likewise, this recognition is aligned with the principles of UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, ratified by the Peruvian State, which establishes the obligation of States to adopt measures to ensure the identification, documentation, research, preservation, promotion,

Safeguarding the Traditional Ceramics of Quinua through the Intergenerational Transmission of Ancestral Knowledge

The traditional ceramics of Quinua (Ayacucho), declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation of Peru in 2019, is an Andean artistic expression that preserves ancestral knowledge transmitted from generation to generation. Recognized for its use of local clay, earth-toned colors, and hand-modeling techniques, it represents the worldview, historical memory, and cultural identity of the Andean communities of Peru.This collective was founded in 1963 in the town of Quinua, Ayacucho, with the purpose of rescuing, preserving, and promoting Andean traditions, oral histories, and cultural expressions.Likewise, one of its main activities has been the education and training of young people and new generations in this ancestral craft, actively contributing to the continuity and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage both within and beyond its community of origin.

"Tajimat Pujut" Awajún Women Artisans Collective of the Alto Mayo

Born in November 2024 as a courageous response to the degradation of their forests and the erosion of their identity, the Awajún Women Artisans Collective "Tajimat Pujut" has forged an extraordinary path of resistance and empowerment. What began as a vital effort to bring "the seeds back to the forest and to their hands" is now a consolidated network of more than 80 artisans from at least 16 communities and sectors of the Alto Mayo region. Together, they have revived the age-old use of botanical materials such as the aromatic sekut (wild vanilla) and seeds like kumpia and huayruro, transforming bio-jewelry into a "second skin" that not only preserves their worldview but also actively defends their territory. Their evolution, however, goes far beyond handicrafts: through innovations such as the Awajún Governance School, which strengthens collective leadership, and the institutional support of the Awajún Indigenous Regional Federation of the Alto Mayo, these women have broken down historical gender barriers to

Ska and Reggae Music Education and Performance in Jamaica

Jamaican popular music--ska, rocksteady, reggae, dancehall--is the foundation of popular culture but also critical to economy, community and identity. The role of the Alpha Boys School in the development of Jamaican intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is a uniquely Jamaican story. Led by the Sisters of Mercy, a Roman Catholic order of nuns, since 1890, Alpha Boys School went on to become pioneers of ska and reggae icons. Traditionally outside the formal, mainstream music education system, Alpha's embrace of music training has led to a significant accumulation of institutional and collective knowledge around development and transmission of ICH. Following renovations during COVID, Alpha launched a tertiary degree and is training young men and women from around Jamaica with a curriculum emphasizing Jamaican ICH. Its Community Music Programming is similarly focused on raising awareness and engagement with ICH at the educational and professional level in communities outside of Kingston.

Natural Dyeing of Textiles of the Yanesha Indigenous People in Peru

In the Oxapampa-Asháninka-Yanesha Biosphere Reserve (BIOAY), located in central Peru, the Yanesha people preserve an ancestral tradition: natural dyeing of textiles.This practice, transmitted across generations, is based on the use of natural resources such as turmeric, achiote, matico leaves, castor leaves, leaves of the Yanesha tree Yetsñor, onion skins, coffee husks, as well as flowers and bark from trees such as pallón and cedar, among other locally used species in traditional dyeing practices.These resources allow the creation of a wide range of natural colors —including yellow, red, brown, and purple tones— through techniques such as cold dyeing, boiling, and tie-dye, combined with the use of natural fixatives.Beyond its technical dimension, this practice reflects a worldview based on respect for nature, sustainability, and a spiritual connection with the environment.Despite current challenges such as migration, climate change, and the loss of cultural practices, Yanesha natural dyeing remains active th

Traditional textile knowledge of native cotton in Pómac III, Lambayeque, Peru

The traditional textile knowledge of native cotton in Pómac III constitutes a living cultural practice linked to the artisanal identity of Lambayeque, Peru. This practice encompasses the knowledge, preparation, and transformation of native cotton into textile pieces crafted using artisanal techniques transmitted primarily through experience, observation, and collective work. The practice is promoted by master artisan Betty Zapata Gonzales, a native of the hamlet of Pómac III, who has over 16 years of experience in the craft. Her work is carried out through the Fibras Nativas (Native Fibers) workshop, a space that promotes the use of native cotton, the creation of textile products with cultural identity, and the participation of women artisans from Pómac and other districts of Lambayeque. Textile knowledge includes fiber selection, material preparation, spinning, weaving, sewing, artisanal finishing, and the design of pieces inspired by Lambayeque's cultural memory. This practice not only produces textile obje

“Let’s give back to the villages what belongs to the villages.” - Transmission of the Hungarian folk song as an intangible cultural heritage in the Tápió region

The folk music research of the Tápió region in Pest County, as an ethnographic landscape, began in the early 1800s. As a result of the continuous work of folk music researchers, over the past 225 years, more than 1,500 local folk songs have been documented in 21 settlements of the region. The settlement folk songs of more than 400 local singers have been recorded, which is the unique intangible cultural heritage of the region. Songs related to local customs, folk games, lamentations, songs of notable days, old-style folk songs, new-style folk songs, and contemporary "nóta" works documented by the 60 folk music researchers. By the 21st century, only a few people in the settlements, the oldest, sang local folk songs. Saving local folk songs, having the oldest people sing them, and getting to know the complete documentation, collections, and recordings in scientific institutions became an important task. In 2009, Dr. József Terék, a native of the Tápió region, undertook the task of following in the footsteps of

Toy culture in Türkiye

Established in 2002, the Cultural Research Foundation (KAV) is a pioneering non-governmental organization dedicated to safeguarding a vast spectrum of Turkey’s Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), ranging from culinary traditions and handicrafts to rituals and toy culture. Driven by a core mission to defend cultural rights and cultivate heritage awareness—particularly among the youth—KAV has established a formidable international presence. Recognizing its rigorous scientific methodologies, KAV was granted official advisory status to the Intergovernmental Committee under the 2003 UNESCO ICH Convention in 2012, and holds esteemed accreditations from global institutions including WIPO and FAO. The "Toy Research Program," which was formalized and intensified in 2005, stands as a crown jewel in KAV's historical trajectory.

Traditional Filigree Technique of Catacaos, Peru

The traditional filigree technique of Catacaos is an ancestral jewelry-making practice from northern Peru. It consists of shaping and weaving fine threads of precious metals, typically silver or gold, into intricate decorative designs.This craft is transmitted across generations and represents an important element of cultural identity in Catacaos. However, it is currently at risk due to low economic valuation and decreasing interest among younger generations.Efforts are being developed to support its preservation through training, promotion, and access to new markets.

La grandeza del Nogal

Gerald Valdez, a 49-year-old artisan, was born in the district of Tingo, located in the Amazonas region, an area that hosts one of Peru’s most important cultural heritage landmarks: the Kuélap Fortress. His work is deeply connected to the natural environment, particularly to walnut tree ecosystems, which have shaped both his personal and professional trajectory since an early age. In the productive sphere, he specializes in the transformation of walnut seeds, a resource that was previously undervalued and considered waste. Through an approach grounded in circular economy principles and environmental sustainability, he has successfully revalorized this material, transforming it into artisanal pieces of high aesthetic and cultural value. This process not only contributes to waste reduction but also promotes the responsible use of natural resources. Furthermore, he carries out significant educational and community outreach work by delivering workshops and lectures in rural schools. Through these initiatives, he

Hungarian string band tradition

The Hungarian string band tradition is one of the country’s defining ensembles and one of the most common representatives of folk music culture. The basic fiddle-viola-bass line-up takes many forms across regions and eras and can be expanded to include additional string players or reed instruments. Up until the middle of the twentieth century, string bands provided music for village parties, family and village festivities, agricultural events and religious and public holidays. Today, they play a crucial role in stage performances, local festivities such as dances, and urban táncház (“dance-house” or folk dance parties). A group’s repertoire can include thousands of melodies, which village musicians play entirely from memory. In addition to memory-based oral transmission, melodies are now also acquired in formal educational settings using written transcriptions and audio-visual documentation. Because Hungarian string bands have always adapted to the social context, the melodies, lyrics, playing style and reper

Táncház method: a Hungarian model for the transmission of intangible cultural heritage

The Táncház (‘dance-house’) model of teaching folk dance and music combines traditional forms of acquisition with modern pedagogical and academic methods. Participants acquire dance knowledge from experienced members or tradition bearers by direct observation and imitation, to the accompaniment of live music, while using their own individual level of creativity to develop their competence and dancing ability. The dancing is complemented by singing instruction, handicraft activities and ethnographic presentations. Anyone regardless of age, competence or prior exposure can become an active participant. The aim is to establish a value-based, community-building, entertaining yet educational form of recreational activity through the practice and transmission of intangible cultural heritage. Táncház methods are also utilized in art schools and all levels of education, and influence folk dance and music performance. An annual National Táncház Festival and Fair constitutes the largest meeting of bearers, mediators an

Csárdás dance tradition

The csárdás is a Hungarian dance that is performed by couples consisting of a man and a woman, or, in some regions, of two women. Multiple couples participate in the dance at the same time, forming one large or several smaller circles. Each region has its own themes, gestures and figures, which are improvised according to well-known, established rules and patterns. The csárdás is a universal favourite in both village and urban dance traditions, and is performed during weddings, community events, folk dance events and on stage. It is often accompanied by a string band consisting of violins, violas and double basses. The practitioners are amateur and professional dancers who learn through formal education or folk dances. The csárdás is an expression of the self-organizing and cohesive power of communities. Dancers also sing and must pay attention to their partner as well as to surrounding couples. The partners learn to think jointly as they co-create the dance. The acquired skills can be applied to everyday lif

"Silvia Condori Mamani: Ayarachi Textile Heritage – From Alpaca to Loom in the High Andes of Puno, Peru"

This 58-second video presents the living heritage of Silvia Condori Mamani, a master weaver and cultural transmitter from the Ayarachi people in the high-Andean community of Paratia, Lampa – Puno, Peru. In her own land, at over 3,800 meters above sea level, we see her ancestral environment: the alpacas grazing on the puna, whose fine fiber is the raw material for her art. The video captures key moments of her traditional textile system: hand-spinning with the pushka (drop spindle), natural dyeing with Andean herbs (cochineal, muña, chilca), and the weaving of intricate designs on the telar de cintura (backstrap loom) and the ancient four-stake loom. Silvia is also seen teaching young women and elders, ensuring the transmission of this endangered ICH. The final frames show her award-winning textiles, including those that earned her the third prize at the Iberoamerican Weaving and Basketry Award in Cuenca, Ecuador (2024). This video is part of the documentation and promotion efforts led by Lic. Wilson Mamani Vi

Textile System of the Ayarachi Culture: Natural Dyeing, Hand-Spinning (Pushka) and Four-Post Loom Weaving in Paratia, Lampa, Puno

The traditional textile system of the Ayarachi culture in the Paratia community, Lampa, Puno (Peru), is a living heritage passed down over generations. It encompasses the entire production cycle of camelid fiber (alpaca), from selection and hand-washing, to natural dyeing with Andean plants (cochineal, muña, chilca, qolle), hand-spinning with the pushka or drop spindle (an ancestral technique in danger of disappearing), and weaving on various types of looms: telar de cintura (backstrap loom), pedal loom, and the most emblematic, the four-stake loom, used for making large pieces and utilitarian items with unique Ayarachi designs. This system is distinguished by its profound relationship with the Aymara and Quechua cosmovision, as the designs represent symbolic elements of the high-Andean culture. Silvia Condori Mamani, a "Maestra Regional de la Artesanía Puneña" and winner of the "Premio Nacional a la Mujer Artesana 2021" (MINCETUR), is one of the main transmitters of this ICH, having trained hundreds of women

Historical Memory as Intangible Cultural Heritage: Safeguarding Memory for Non-Repetition in Colombia

The National Center for Historical Memory (CNMH) promotes the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage through the recognition of the historical memory of Colombia’s armed conflict as a living cultural practice and as intangible heritage in itself. This memory is not only a record of past events, but a collective and evolving heritage created and transmitted by victims and communities through narratives, rituals, artistic expressions, and everyday cultural practices. As such, it must be actively incorporated into Colombia’s cultural fabric and collective consciousness to prevent its erasure and contribute to non-repetition.At the same time, the CNMH recognizes that the armed conflict has placed ancestral cultural practices at risk—particularly among Indigenous, Afro-descendant, and campesino communities—due to forced displacement, massacres, and enforced disappearance. These practices are not separate from memory; they are the very means through which memory is created, expressed, and transmitted. In Colo

Dar Maschkar min kloukn and Da Jutalan - The ritual masks of Timau-Tischlbong of Paluzza (UD) - Italy

The archaic masquerade is part of the culture and history of a German-speaking community that settled in 1284 in what is now the Paluzza area.Among the ritual figures of this masquerade is "Dar Maschkar min kloukn," who wears a fur coat reminiscent of the agricultural world. He has fir branches tucked into his hat and between the buttons of his shirt. His face is blackened with soot, which he also uses to smear the faces of those he encounters along the way, as well as grease them with the grease from the rind tied around his waist. He has a cowbell tied to his back, which he rings rhythmically as he moves. This mask does not enter homes and wanders around the village during the day.Another ritual figure of the Timau masquerade is "Da Jutalan," who wears a white dress decorated with colorful handkerchiefs and his face is covered. He travels in a group from house to house, carrying an accordion, where he performs three dances. If he stays, he must identify himself by uncovering his face. His pilgrimage takes p

Rölar, Kheirar and Rikè - The ritual masks of Sauris-Zahre (UD) - Italy

The archaic masquerade is a product of the culture and history of a German-speaking community that settled there around the 13th century. Propitiatory rituals were once repeated several times a week, from Epiphany onward, while today the celebration focuses particularly on the "Night of the Lanterns." The main masks of this rite are the Rölar and the Kheirar.The Rölar wears dark clothing, his face covered in soot, and shouts and shakes the bells around his waist to announce the start of Carnival and drive away evil spirits with their din.The Kheirar, or King of Masks, has his face covered by a wooden mask and in the past would knock on the doors of homes with a broom made of sorghum. Once inside, he would sweep the floor, performing a propitiatory rite to sweep away the burdens of winter and make way for the arrival of spring.Spring is represented in the procession by the "beautiful mask" of the Rikè, whose face is covered by a veil and adorned with bells, which awaken the spirits, and colorful ribbons that o

Ròllate - The ritual masks of Sappada-Plodn (UD) - Italy

The Rollate is a totemic zoomorphic character even if by now he appears more human because of his typical large moustached wooden face. Armed with a broom (and once also accompanied by Clowns), he goes around the streets of the hamlets, rhythmically shaking his large rattle, the rollen that gives him his name. He visits the houses and brings good fortune with his cumbersome presence in fur and the particular and affected use of his voice which is believed to be that of the ancestors. The Sappada Carnival is also distinguished by the fact that it celebrates the period for a greater length over three Sundays dedicated specifically to the peasants, the poor and the gentry.Text by Gianluigi Secco

La Gnaga - The ritual masks of Fornesighe di Val di Zoldo (BL) - Italy

The 'historical' masquerade at Fornesighe is the only remaining one in the Val Zoldana where the elderly still remember others. The figure of the Matazin, who opens the parade accompanied by a fiery black devil, has been dying out in favour of that of the 'gnaga' who is, therefore, the fruit of a recent tradition even if there is evidence of similar characters in Italy, at least in the eighteenth century. It regards the allegory of the 'Old' who makes way for the 'New', namely the Power that passes on to the new adult generation represented by the Conscript who, as such, acquired the rights and obligations arising out of his new social condition28. In practice, the youth seems to be carried in a pannier by an old woman which, in reality, is tacked on later on the front of the figure. Other typical characters in the parade are the Doctor and the Wet nurse with an infant, the Woman from Ampezzo with the Gentleman, the Godfather and the Godmother and the 'Coco' charged with collecting eggs in the customary colle

Olt da Riva - The ritual masks of Rivamonte Agordino (BL) - Italy

The heart of this masquerade are the wooden faces of the handsome and the ugly, which are common throughout the Dolomites, but here they stem from a unique story: in the early 1900s, in the hamlet of La Spia di Rivamonte, Crispino Selle lived. He carved grotesque, disturbing, and highly realistic faces. These soon became known throughout the Agordino valley, and many people began to go see them.In 1947, a group of young people met in a local carpenter's workshop and decided to continue the tradition, following in Crispino's footsteps, creating less frightening, more colorful, and certainly technically inferior faces to Selle's artistic works. In honor of tradition, the masks were called Olt da Riva, and the young people of Rivamonte began wearing them during the Carnival season.In 2020, this masquerade was officially revived for Carnival, again by the town's young people, with more or less recent masks, but always with a traditionalist spirit.Text by Antonio Gheno

Marascons, Laché e Bufon - The ritual masks of Val di Fassa (TN) - Italy

Traditionally, in the Fassa Valley, "the carnival is unleashed" on January 17th, the feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot. The leading masks of the procession are the Laché, the Bufon, and the Marascons, followed and surrounded by masks or faceres (faces) representing beauty and ugliness, the positive and negative aspects of the collective imagination or the most deeply rooted and specific popular imagination of the area. During the carnival, the Laché lead the way for the Marascons, who, with a skipping step, make three counterclockwise turns for good luck. Meanwhile, the Bufon, who is the only mask allowed to speak, acts as a jester, comically embarrassing those present.The masks/faceres are all strictly wooden, unique pieces, usually carved from Swiss pine and painted with oil paints. Some time ago, only a few mask makers were able to consistently and imaginatively produce Ladin carnival masks, but in recent years, thanks to the willingness and sensitivity of some local sculptors or decorators/artists, the sch

Žinghenésta - The ritual masks of Canale d'Agordo (BL) - Italy

On Shrove Tuesday in the Canale d'Agordo area of the Alto Agordino they celebrated the Zinghenésta (Gipsy), an innovative female character of good omen for abundance who appeared in the middle of the second half of the nineteenth century. The other characters in the procession on the other hand seem to be orthodox and original and are completely similar to types found elsewhere (Matiéi, Laché, Paiazi and Puster). Of interest is the final part of the rite when some youths, dressed as murderers, carried out robberies and sacked the houses, but at the end they were released and allowed to keep what they stole. It is highly probable that these would be conscripts whose freedom of action corresponded to a form of recognition that they were the new power force in the community. Also present and well described are masks of the ugly type whose behaviour is similar to those of the Pagliacci and included the Puster, the Spazzacamin and the Ber who beat cowbells and sticks rhythmically to 'call the grass'. Then in the a

Matacink e Laké from Laste and Matazin from sottoguda - The ritual masks of Rocca Pietore (BL)

The Matacink in this area differ substantially because of the form of the tall hat that also identifies the natural area they belong to.The Matacink from Laste travel in pairs with their own Laké who do not wear tall hats and who are also responsible for collecting and offering grappa to those visited. Pairs of characters are formed for every hamlet. The Matacink were able to ask the parents of the girls to let them go to the ball under their own responsibility and in this case refusal was not allowed. The Matazin from Sottoguda also had a retinue of Sfrofignatori (soot throwers) or similar characters who contaminated anyone found outside or in the houses during visits with black, and they were accompanied by a chief mask character who presided over and commanded the dances.Text by Gianluigi Secco

Matazin e Laché - The ritual masks of Selva di Cadore (BL) - Italy

The great masquerades are also remembered in Val Fiorentina and direct recollections of the local Mata have been obtained from old people. Of significance, however, is an old photograph that encapsulates the soul of all the characters mentioned and where we can also see the use of a hat-veil instead of a black or white mask.Text by Gianluigi Secco

Matazin, Laché e Matazère - The ritual masks of Comelico Superiore (BL) - Italy

The group of archaic masks is guided by Matazin and Laché who are equal characters with gaudy (regal) clothes, rich in bright veils and coloured ribbons. They wear a high tube made annually, richly adorned with precious stones, pearls, mirrors and gold which were once collected from the families to whom they were returned at the end of the holiday. They carry the sceptre of their authority in one hand and sweets for the bystanders in the other. They wear sweet-sounding rattles and must stay in motion by walking or dancing together. They leap face to face during the dance and this pairing is their most significant action. The Matazins are accompanied by Clowns who soil the bystanders with ashes and control them with a staff.During the ball in the square, the 'Mata' dance with women among the public as a good omen for fertility and sometimes accept the invitation of some man who yearns even more for luck. The group of old characters travel separately from the rest of the procession with the group of musicians w

ICH through Craft and Tourism

We bring joy to people by facilitating sustainable development that is aimed at creating income opportunities for communities across South Africa. We empower people to change their own lives by showing them how they can grow through asset-based community development, craft production, retail support, and running authentic tours and experiences. They also learn that working collaboratively and partnering with others who share their values can help their communities thrive. Established in 2004, Africa!Ignite is a leading rural development agency based in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa with operations expanding into the rest of the country - our current focus being the Eastern Cape and Gauteng. We implement holistic programmes that enable rural communities to create meaningful and sustainable income opportunities to support their livelihoods and build resilience. While we prioritize women and youth, our inclusive approach helps to unlock local value chains that benefit entire communities. Africa!Ignite operates thr

KNOWLEDGE AND WEAVING TECHNIQUES OF THE AYACUCHO TAPESTRY

The tapestry tradition of Ayacucho is one of the most ancient and sophisticated in the Americas. The Wari (600–1100 CE) were the strongest pre-Inca society and first true state in Peru. From their base in Ayacucho, they were renowned for their complex tapestries and standardized weaving throughout their domain.The history of Andean textiles dates back more than 4,000 years. Long before the rise of the Inca civilization, ancient cultures in the Andes had already developed sophisticated weaving traditions.Ayacucho is noted for its tapestries characterized by a creative combination of pre-Hispanic and contemporary Western influences. Inspired by the recovery of ancient technology and Wari cultural themes.

Cultural Heritage of Catacaos: The Straw Hat, a Living Tradition that Weaves the Identity of Northern Peru

The woven straw hat from Catacaos, a district located in the Piura region in northern Peru, is one of the most outstanding expressions of Peru’s intangible cultural heritage. Its craftsmanship, passed down from generation to generation within Catacaos families, represents a highly specialized technical knowledge that no industrial process has been able to replicate faithfully. Fine weaving, the most complex form of this tradition, can require weeks of continuous work to produce a single piece, highlighting the value of the human time invested in its creation.The history of this hat is deeply rooted in the collective identity of Catacaos. Since the early years of the Spanish Conquest, the community gradually developed a hat-making culture that eventually became the backbone of local commerce. Family workshops, although independent from one another, formed a production and marketing network that shaped the social and economic life of the town. This tradition allowed Catacaos to extend its presence beyond region

Bëtsknaté, known as The Great Day or Carnival of Forgiveness

For the Kamëntsá people, Bëtsknaté is the Great Day, a moment in which the most significant expressions of their tradition converge and through which they are collectively identified. The celebration begins with preparatory practices such as Uacjnayte (offerings to the deceased), Uastajuayan (the placement of food as offerings for the deceased), and Uatsembon (the oral offering of food to the deceased). These practices culminate on the day of the celebration, held annually on the Monday preceding Ash Wednesday, and are carried out in remembrance of the teachings transmitted by ancestors, relatives, elders, friends and community members.Bëtsknaté is celebrated once a year as a moment of collective memory and intergenerational transmission, reaffirming the continuity of knowledge, values and social practices inherited from the ancestors. It constitutes a central mechanism through which the Kamëntsá people maintain the vitality and viability of their Intangible Cultural Heritage.This traditional celebration bri

The Breath of Tradition: Digital Preservation and Social Transmission of the Bulgarian Gaida

The focus of this candidacy is the Bulgarian bagpipe tradition, specifically the "gaida" – a traditional woodwind instrument that has been a cornerstone of Bulgarian identity for centuries. This element belongs to the domain of "performing arts" and "traditional craftsmanship," as it encompasses not only the mastery of performance but also the specialized knowledge of constructing the instrument and maintaining its authentic repertoire.In Bulgaria, the gaida is more than a musical instrument; it is a symbol of communal life, present in every ritual, celebration, and social gathering. The specific focus of my work is the Strandja bagpipe style, known for its deep, melodic ornamentation and its unique role in the preservation of the folklore of Southeastern Bulgaria.It is important to note that "Bagpipe playing and musical knowledge in Bulgaria" was officially inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2025. This heritage is characterized by a complex

The ‘Diablicos de Túcume’ dance, a Cultural Heritage of Peru

The “Diablicos de Túcume” dance is a living expression of Peru's Intangible Cultural Heritage, representing the history, faith, and identity of its people. My work as a dancer, General Foreman, and master mask maker has focused on safeguarding this tradition through free instruction for children and young people, the transmission of ancestral knowledge, and the creation of masks using traditional tinsmithing techniques.The images presented reflect years of continuous work in the community: workshops, learning processes, the participation of new generations, and cultural activities that keep this expression alive.This effort stems from a deep conviction: that heritage is protected by teaching it, sharing it, and making it part of people's lives.Over time, this work has allowed us to train new generations who continue the cultural practice today, some even leading their own groups. Currently, I continue to develop free workshops, especially in the most remote rural areas, so that more children and young people

MANTA BLANCA PATRIMONIO CULTURAL DE LA NACION

La Manta Blanca de Tambogán ha sido considerada Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación debido a su significativo valor histórico, cultural y social, constituyéndose en una expresión representativa de la identidad de las comunidades del distrito de Tambogán, en la región Huánuco.Esta manifestación textil destaca por la preservación de técnicas tradicionales de tejido en telar de cintura, transmitidas de generación en generación, las cuales reflejan conocimientos ancestrales vinculados al uso de fibras, procesos de hilado, teñido natural y confección artesanal. Dichos saberes constituyen un legado cultural vivo que fortalece la continuidad de las prácticas tradicionales en el tiempo.De igual manera, la declaratoria se alinea con los principios de la Convención para la Salvaguardia del Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la UNESCO, ratificada por el Estado peruano, que establece la obligación de los Estados de adoptar medidas para garantizar la identificación, documentación, investigación, preservación, promoción y tran

Salvaguardia de las Mantas Blancas de Huánuco: Técnicas Ancestrales de Tejido a Mano"

"La elaboración de la Manta Blanca es una técnica textil tradicional de la región Huánuco, Perú, reconocida como Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación. Se caracteriza por el uso de algodón natural, hilado a mano y el empleo de diseños iconográficos que representan la cosmovisión local".

Revival of Songs of Charyapada by the Spiritual Devotees

The Revival of Songs of Charyāpada by the Spiritual Devotees refers to a community-based safeguarding initiative that re-establishes the performative tradition of the Charyāpada—one of the earliest extant corpora of Bengali language, esoteric poetry, and spiritual music dating from approximately the 7th to 12th centuries CE. Historically composed by Tantric Buddhist siddhācāryas, these songs embody symbolic, experiential, and philosophical knowledge expressed through coded poetic language.While the Charyāpada survived in manuscript form, its embodied musical and performative practice had long disappeared from the Bengali cultural landscape. The present revival, led by the Vabnagar Foundation in collaboration with Baul-Fakir spiritual practitioners (bhāva-sādhakas), reactivates this tradition as a living cultural expression. The initiative integrates ethnographic field research, study of medieval musicological treatises, and reconstruction of rāga–rāginī frameworks to restore performance practices.Central to t

Mongolian Traditional Art of Khöömii

‘Khöömii’, literally meaning pharynx, refers to the vocal technique in which one person intentionally superimposes multiple and simultaneous sounds with his/her voice, where appear two distinct partials: a harmonic melody ‘overtones’ over a fundamental tone ‘drone’, accompanied by many resonances.Practiced by the Mongolian and Turkic peoples throughout the area of Altai mountain chain (at national level in Mongolia; the regions of Altai Republic, Khakassia and Tuva in Russia, as well as the north of Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia in China), khöömii is an ancestral vocal technique. Its origins are difficult to date precisely. Legends say that khöömii comes from the imitation of the sound of the wind, the water, and birds singing. It is practiced by men in most cases, but also by women since two generations. A living and dynamic tradition, khöömii is a rich and multifaceted cultural heritage of the Mongols.Regarding the technical aspect of khöömii, emitted from the vocal drone, the overtones are produced by a simu

Global Results Framework Working Group meeting

Dear Working Group Members In 2025 we worked on the  Toolkit for mapping thematic areas and a  Tool to map thematic areas where an NGO works. At the IGC at New Delhi we had presentations on Culture as a Goal related indicators and also survey findings on contribution of NGOs to different thematic areas. Our first Global Results Framework Working Group meeting in 2026 is on March 10, 2026, 2-3 pm CET.Please Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/85368486200?pwd=x5z9rybWarKuWCvyTsRfEIUQVSdhSf.1Meeting ID: 853 6848 6200Password: 848866 Objectives are broadly- to discuss and plan actions for the Global Results Framework working group for 2026 - to solicit new members to join the coordination team - invite interest in chairing/steering the group. IGC presentations and survey findings are available in this folderIGC 20.COM New DelhiThanks & Regards

Culture as a Cross-cutting Resource in Emergencies: Strengthening Humanitarian Action through Cultural Approaches

French version below / Version française ci-dessous : Dear colleagues, I have the pleasure of inviting you to the roundtable: Culture as a Cross-cutting Resource in Emergencies: Strengthening Humanitarian Action through Cultural Approaches The roundtable will be held online on Thursday, 5 March 2026, from 15:00 to 16:00 CET (Paris). Organized by UNESCO as part of the 2026 Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW), this roundtable will explore how living heritage, cultural and artistic practices can support psychosocial recovery, social cohesion, and community resilience in emergency contexts.Building on UNESCO's experience and programmes in the field of culture and emergencies and in the context of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the discussion will present evidence-based insights from projects implemented in Colombia and Gaza, as well as projects with Ukrainian people temporarily displaced in Romania, and populations based in refugee camps in Greece. Spe

Chinese New Year in Tor Pignattara: An Intercultural Community Celebration Rooted in Living Heritage

On March 1, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the neighborhood of Tor Pignattara in Municipio Roma V (Rome) will host the first edition of the “Chinese New Year of Tor Pignattara”, a community-led intercultural event that reinterprets the Chinese New Year as a shared urban heritage and a tool for social cohesion.Recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the Chinese New Year is here presented not only as a festive celebration, but as a living cultural practice embedded in everyday urban life, capable of fostering dialogue, inclusion, and collective belonging within one of Rome’s most historically multicultural areas.A community-based intercultural paradeThe event takes the form of a participatory parade starting from the historic Carlo Pisacane school complex and moving through the streets of Tor Pignattara. It is conceived and coordinated by Xiaoyan Zhou, Director of the HE PING – PACE Association, with the active involvement of local schools, associations, residents, and cultural act

Working Group Research meeting

Dear colleagues and friends in the Working Group Research of the ICH NGO Forum,we kindly invite you all to meet online for our general Working Group Research meeting on 26 February at 4.00-5.30pm (CET = GMT+1 ) Via Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83185585246Draft agenda:1  WG Research Updates: - ICH Tourism proceedings, - Participatory proceedings: Symposium 2024 publication (participation), and 2025 Symposium contribution2 Launching the 2026 Programme: planning3  Governance. adopting coordination team 20264 Other issues+ We will be sending you the notes of last November meeting, as well as the draft action plan 2026 at the latest by 16 February 2026.You are welcome to contact the coordination group for any further ideas and proposals to still be included in the agenda.We look much forward to seeing you all online, With warmest wishes,Your coordinators for the Working Group Research,Jana Ambrózová, Martín Andrade-Peréz, Jorijn Neyrinck and Valentina Lapiccirella Zingari— with the ICH Tourism coordination

Working Group Conflict and Displacement

Dear colleagues,Please join us for the upcoming meeting of the Conflict and Displacement Working Group, which will take place on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. EST / 3:30 p.m. CET.The main objective of this meeting is to plan the Working Group's activities for the year ahead, welcome potential new members, and exchange ideas on how to strengthen participation and outreach. We will also discuss proposed priorities for 2026, key dates and opportunities (including World Refugee Day), and possible collaborations with partners such as UNESCO and UNHCR.For your reference, the agenda is attached.You may join the meeting using the following link: https://meet.google.com/yfj-mwus-qprThank you in advance for your valuable contribution.With kind regards,Sara GreenChairConflict and Displacement Working GroupICH NGO Forum////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////Chères et chers collègues,Nous avons le pla

Temple of Monarch

Title of Intangible Cultural HeritageLiving Cultural Values and Practices of Reverence for Compassionate Leadership — Temple of Monarch (Bhutan)Short DescriptionThe Temple of Monarch embodies a unique living cultural heritage where reverence, gratitude, unity, compassion, humility, and service are practiced daily as active cultural expressions. It reflects Bhutan’s living tradition of honoring leadership that serves with integrity and devotion, and transforms these values into ongoing, participatory practices that connect communities, generations, and global audiences.Detailed DescriptionThe Temple of Monarch preserves and transmits Bhutan’s intangible cultural heritage by safeguarding living cultural expressions that articulate a deep emotional bond between the people and their compassionate leadership. Unlike traditional monuments or archival preservation, the heritage safeguarded here is lived, shared, and reflected in daily practices, storytelling, visual expressions, and communal participation.This herit

Cuadros Vivos (Living Pictures): Memory of Not Forgetting — Hybrid Community Inventory (Digital + Physical) with Traditional Knowledge (TK) Labels

Cuadros Vivos (Living Pictures): Memory of Not Forgetting is a long-term, community-based safeguarding system of intangible cultural heritage, developed continuously since 2016 in Galeras, Sucre (Colombia). It emerges from a sustained territorial research–creation process rooted in embodied memory, oral transmission, ritual practices, collective creation, and intergenerational knowledge systems, where heritage is lived, enacted, and transmitted through daily community life rather than institutional extraction.The process is conceived as a living heritage safeguarding architecture, where the body functions as a living archive, the territory as a cultural memory space, and community practices as systems of transmission. Memory, symbolic creation, rituality, and collective embodiment operate as mechanisms of continuity, cultural identity formation, and social cohesion, transforming lived experience into collective cultural meaning and supporting long-term peacebuilding processes in a post-conflict territorial co

Call for Applications – 2026 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH)

Applications for the 2026 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH) will be available for download beginning on 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔.Established by the City of Jeonju, JIAPICH has evolved into a distinguished international awards program recognizing excellence in the safeguarding, transmission, and promotion of intangible cultural heritage (ICH). Now entering its 𝟖𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, JIAPICH invites applications from ICH bearers, transmitters, practitioners, organizations, and mediators from around the world. Often described as an international benchmark for the field—comparable in spirit to a global award platform for ICH—JIAPICH seeks to honor those whose sustained efforts ensure the continuity of living heritage for future generations.Over the course of its first seven editions, JIAPICH jury panelists have rigorously reviewed applications and selected 𝟐𝟏 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟐𝟏 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫�

Sur Jahan

Sur Jahan is an annual World Peace Music Festival organised by Contact Base, with the the motto “Music for Peace, Music for All.” Since 2011, it has been a beloved non-ticketed festival in Kolkata, welcoming music lovers to immerse themselves in world music, cultural diversity, and the joy of human connection. Sur Jahan is more than a music festival—it is a celebration of the values that define Kolkata, the City of Joy: openness, creativity, cosmopolitanism, and respect for diversity. By bringing global musical traditions to local audiences, and creating shared spaces for dialogue and co-creation, Sur Jahan nurtures a culture of peace, harmony, and mutual understanding. A hallmark of Sur Jahan is its commitment to plurality and cultural diversity. Till date, world music bands from 34 countries have performed at the festival. Each edition blends evening concerts with daytime interactive workshops, where audiences experience traditional acoustic instruments, folk vocabularies, and songs performed in diverse mot

Sharing the moments from the 2025 JIAPICH.

On September 24, 2025 (Wed), the world’s one and only awards ceremony dedicated to intangible heritage was held in Jeonju, Korea.It was a meaningful occasion to honor the dedication and passion of those who safeguard ICH around the world, and to celebrate their efforts in keeping this shared legacy alive.Intangible heritage is more than just tradition — it is a living heritage that connects people, generations, and cultures across time.May the inspiration and resonance of this day continue to spread across the world. 🌏Watch the full ceremony through the YouTube link below!CICS in Korea : https://youtu.be/KxgFgokMfus?si=8cnOc-X4cS_rdeiv

Hip-Hop as Intangible Cultural Heritage

On the occasion of UNESCO’s International Day of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Rome will host two days of meetings, workshops, and discussions—on October 17 and 18, 2025—dedicated to the nomination of Hip Hop as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.The initiative, promoted by Hip Hop Cinefest and Hip Hop Protection, with the support of the Ecomuseo Casilino ad Duas Lauros and numerous cultural and academic partners, is part of the “Jubilee of the Margins” program. Its aim is to highlight and narrate the evolution of this interdisciplinary culture—one that today finds its place in museums, universities, and educational projects—while serving as a tool for inclusion and social innovation.The program includes several sessions: on October 17, an introduction with representatives from the cultural and institutional fields, followed by a series of dialogues with key figures from the four disciplines of Hip Hop—MCing, Breaking, DJing, and Writing—exploring their history, languages, and contemporary expressions.On Oct

Invitation – 2025 JIAPICH

The 2025 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH) is now only a month away.Celebrating its 7th edition this year, the Awards honor individuals and communities around the world who have dedicated themselves to safeguarding the values of ICH, and it is a meaningful occasion to share their devotion and achievements.In particular, being held in Jeonju – a city renowned for its history and culture – this event will provide a valuable opportunity to reflect on both the present and future of ICH, not only in Korea but also globally.We sincerely invite you to join us this September in Jeonju. Let us gather to share the value of intangible heritage and envision its future together. Your participation will make intangible heritage shine even brighter.The 2025 JIAPICH will take place on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at the Jeonju Korean Traditional Culture Center. For those that cannot be present during the awarding ceremony, the recording of the 2025 JIAPICH will be uploaded to

Kaustinen ICH Seminar 2025

The fifth international Kaustinen Intangible Cultural Heritage Seminar Music on the Move – Migration, Resilience and Identity on 12 July will focus on the theme of migration, particularly from the perspective of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. The seminar program handles the questions related to significance of music and musical heritage when people move from one place to another.The seminar is part of the Kaustinen ICH Academy program and of the 57th Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, whose theme of the year is migration.The floor is given especially to musicians who have personal and practical experience on the theme through personal history or projects related to migration and music. After keynote speech “Where Migration Studies Meet Living Heritage: Community Building among Ukrainian Refugees in Slovakia”  by researcher Ľubica Voľanská, the professor of Sibelius Academy Saijaleena Rantanen takes us to panel discussion with the rap musician Karri ”Paleface” Miettinen who has recently worked in a pro

Presentation of the first Italian municipal advisory body for the safeguarding and promotion of intangible cultural heritage

Promoted by the Ecomuseo Casilino ad Duas Lauros, in close collaboration with 5th Municipality of Rome, the Capitoline Superintendency, the Central Institute for Intangible Heritage, the Department of Social and Economic Sciences at La Sapienza University, and the Simbdea Association, the new body was formally established in March 2025 through a resolution of the Municipal Council and is now officially operational, positioning itself as a replicable model for other areas of the city.The objective is clear: to give voice and space to the “living” heritage made up of knowledge, practices, rituals, artistic expressions, memories, and orally transmitted traditions—often invisible when compared to major monuments, yet central to the identity of local communities. According to the definition set out in the 2003 UNESCO Convention (ratified by Italy in 2022), this heritage represents the lifeblood of contemporary culture and intergenerational transmission.Through this new tool, it will be possible to monitor communit

Naples Conference on Cultural Heritage in the 21st century

‘LOOK AT HERITAGE AS THE WITNESS OF OUR HUMANITY’, Nahla Emam, Egypt- a reflection on the Naples conference on Cultural heritage in the 21st century-From 4 to 6 June 2025, Castel Capuano in Naples hosted UNESCO’s Second Conference on Cultural Heritage in the 21st Century, co-organized by the Government of Italy and UNESCO. This pivotal gathering built upon the “Spirit of Naples” agenda launched in 2023—a visionary call encouraging culturally integrated, people‑centred heritage policies.The three-day event convened delegates from UNESCO Member States and heritage experts alongside Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani, the Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, the UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone Ramirez and UNESCO Director‑General Audrey Azoulay, who opened the Ministerial session on 4 June. With six thematic panels, participants explored topics such as heritage representativity, the economic role of cultural assets within a rights‑based frame

2025 JIAPICH Finalists Announcement

Thank you once again for your interest and participation in the 7th edition of the JIAPICH. We were honored to receive an unprecedented number of applications from across the globe — the highest in the history of the awards. It is a strong testament to the continued commitment of communities, organizations, and individuals working to safeguard intangible cultural heritage in creative and impactful ways.This growth is due in large part to the outreach efforts of our newly launched Ambassador-at-Large Program. We extend our deepest gratitude to our ambassadors around the world, whose dedication and enthusiasm played a vital role in spreading awareness and encouraging participation in these awards.  We are pleased to announce the three finalists selected for the 2025 JIAPICH Awards, as well as the backup candidates who received high recognition from the jury.2025 JIAPICH Finalists (in no particular order)Wyang Sasak Puppetry School (Indonesia)IEPE – Instituto de Pesquisa e Formação Indígena (Brazil)Keshet NGO (I

ONLINE SEMINAR SERIES OF THE WORKING GROUP ON ICH, CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Please join the online seminar of the Working Group on ICH, Climate Change and the Environment on Tuesday May 20th. ONLINE SEMINAR SERIES OF THE WORKING GROUP ON ICH, CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENTTuesday 20 May 15h00 – 16h00 UNESCO Paris time (UTC +1) Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/89064105303?pwd=qVJtaVJdt0fpXjuTiNPcIwTodVuw2F.1ID of Meeting: 890 6410 5303    Secret Code : 874477 The importance of documenting ICH in the face of natural disastersExperiences from Bonaire.Liliane de Geus, M.A., M.Sc.Representative of NGO Fuhikubo and UNESCO Global FacilitatorAbstract: It is important to document our heritage through oral history. The knowledge passed down from generation to generation involves not only celebrations, but knowledge of the situations people experienced and how they dealt with them. These serve as predictions as well as support and grip. This case study from Bonaire will explain the methods and the processes of preparing documentation on natural disasters on the island.Bio: Raised

2025 Korea UNESCO-Accredited NGO Capacity-Building Workshop

The first NGO Workshop of 2025 was held in Andong. Organized by the International Mask Arts & Culture Organization (IMACO), the event was attended by the Korea Heritage Agency (KHA), The Center for Intangible Culture Studies (CICS), and the World Martial Arts Union (WoMAU).During the workshop, participants viewed a performance of Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori, an element inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This was followed by a session in which each NGO presented its activities and engaged in discussions on the operational direction of the “Korean UNESCO-Accredited NGOs Council.”Participants then visited Hahoe Village, Byeongsan Seowon, Buyongdae Cliff, and the World Mask Museum, gaining firsthand insight into how Andong’s rich UNESCO-designated heritage is preserved and utilized in connection with the local community.  The Andong workshop reaffirmed the importance of solidarity and exchange among NGOs. It provided a foundation for contributing to the sustai

ICH Tourism Dialogues #4 - Dialogue on action research experiences in tourism and living heritage

21 May 2025 2.30 pm to 4 p.m. CEST via zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88167198923Dialogue on action research experiences in tourism and living heritage with Ruzanna Tsaturyan (My Armenia Program, Armenia) and Ketevan Gurchiani (Georgia), moderated by Michele McKenzie (international Tourism expert, Canada), Chaired by Halle M. Butvin (Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, ICH NGO Forum)Drawing from their experiences with the Smithsonian’s My Armenia and Mukhrani Village projects, anthropologists Ketevan Gurchiani and Ruzanna Tsaturyan will explore the critical role of research in cultural tourism development. They will reflect on the importance of community engagement, the need for sensitivity toward cultural practices, and the often-overlooked value of research in shaping respectful and sustainable tourism initiatives. The conversation will be moderated by former President and CEO of Destination Canada Michele McKenzie, bringing insights from her extensive international

IMILIKUT/IMENURU: WAYANA AND APARAI GRAPHIC ART

The graphic art of the Wayana and Aparai, indigenous peoples of northern Pará, is a traditional cultural expression marked by great material, symbolic and conceptual diversity. Their graphics, created according to their own concepts, reflect a dynamic system of knowledge transmitted orally and through daily practices. As a collective heritage, governed by specific social and political norms, this art presents historical continuity and constant recreation, adapting to cultural transformations through creative processes of updating and resignification, which guarantees its contemporaneity and identity relevance.Like all cultural elements, the graphic art of the Wayana and Aparai is subject to internal and external influences, which alter its formal and conceptual aspects. These changes are also reflected in social practices that can currently affect the contexts of production and, above all, the transmission of this art to the younger generation. On the other hand, it is worth noting that the graphic systems of

Ancestral Remedy

The active Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) domain represented by the “Ancestral Remedy” comic is rooted in oral traditions, indigenous healing practices, intergenerational wisdom, and community-based storytelling. This comic series documents and creatively transmits narratives from Kenyan informal settlements, showcasing how ancestral knowledge systems—especially those related to traditional medicine, gender roles, and community dispute resolution—are adapted in the context of urban challenges and youth identity."Ancestral Remedy" functions as a living ICH archive, illustrating:Indigenous herbal remedies and their cultural significanceStories of elders and traditional healers (waganga) in navigating health and social issuesThe use of storytelling as therapy and resistance to marginalizationYouth reinterpretation of heritage in a digital age through animation, illustration, and gamified learningThe comic is developed through community dialogues, story circles, and collaborative scriptwriting with youth and

Clube Carnavalesco Misto Seu Malaquias

Clube Carnavalesco Misto Seu Malaquias1. Identificação do Elemento CulturalNome do PCI: Clube Carnavalesco Misto Seu MalaquiasDomínio(s) do PCI:Tradições e expressões orais (narrativas, cantigas).Artes performáticas (frevo, dança, música).Técnicas artesanais tradicionais (confecção de bonecos gigantes).Práticas sociais e rituais (carnaval, culto a Xangô).2. Descrição Detalhadaa) Manifestações Culturais:Frevo: Dança e música tradicional pernambucana, com ritmo acelerado e passos acrobáticos, acompanhada por instrumentos de sopro e percussão.Bonecos Gigantes: Figuras artesanais de até 4 metros de altura, confeccionadas com estruturas de bambu, tecidos e papelão, representando personagens históricos, folclóricos ou satíricos. Desfilam no carnaval de rua, interagindo com o público.b) Elementos Integrados:Afro-brasileiridade: Referências ao culto a Xangô e símbolos de terreiros de candomblé incorporados às alegorias e narrativas.Artesanato: Técnicas tradicionais de escultura em papel machê e costura, transmitidas

Kusiwa Art: Body Painting and Graphic Art of the Wajãpi People of Amapá in Brazil

This is a system of representation—a graphic language of the Wajãpi people of Amapá—that synthesizes their way of understanding, conceiving, and acting upon the universe. The kusiwa graphic system operates as a catalyst for the expression of knowledge and practices that encompass social relationships, religious beliefs, technologies, and aesthetic and moral values. The exceptional value of this form of expression lies in its ability to condense, transmit, and renew—all through the creativity of the artists and storytellers—every unique and element of the Wajãpi way of thinking and being in the world. The kusiwa language is a form of expression that complements the knowledge passed down orally from one generation to the next and shared among all members of the group. This knowledge is mainly found in oral narratives that this Indigenous group—now consisting of about 580 individuals—continues to pass on to their children. These stories explain how colors emerged, how the patterns in the designs came to be, and

The Oral Tradition as Cultural Heritage from Kumbasa Village

The oral traditions in Kumbasa Village represent a valuable aspect of Indonesia’s cultural heritage, passed down from generation to generation. As a cultural practice, oral tradition is an integral part of the community and continues to live alongside its people. The values embedded within oral traditions—religious, moral, and cultural—serve as guiding principles in daily social life.In Kumbasa Village, oral tradition is closely linked to customary rituals. During these rituals—such as balia, mompaura, novatiaka, novunja, and others—oral narratives are recited as an essential component. In the past, oral traditions were not limited to traditional ceremonies but were also performed during communal celebrations such as weddings, thanksgiving events, and more. However, with the dynamic changes in modern society, these traditions are now predominantly preserved within the context of customary rituals.Customary rituals and oral traditions are deeply interconnected. Although oral traditions in Kumbasa are primarily

Artsakh Beckons: Preservation of Nagorno-Karabakh Folk Music

"Artsakh Beckons" is an urgent cultural preservation initiative launched by Naregatsi Art Institute (NAI) following the September 2023 exodus of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. The project addresses the imminent threat to the region's unique musical heritage, characterized by its distinctive local dialect and traditional folk songs that form a cornerstone of cultural identity for displaced communities.This comprehensive preservation effort focuses on documenting, archiving, and transmitting the endangered folk music traditions that represent one of the brightest cultural expressions of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. The project is particularly critical as these musical traditions weren't previously documented in Armenia's major cultural institutions, including the Komitas State Conservatory and the Art Institute of the Academy of Sciences.Working directly with displaced musicians and cultural bearers, NAI employs professional ethnomusicological methods to create high-quality audio-visual recordings, musi

Las Tejedoras de Mampujan: A story of resilience

The Tejedoras de Mampuján (Weavers of Mampuján) emerged in the early 2000s as a collective of Afro-Colombian women survivors from the rural community of Mampuján, located in the Montes de María region of northern Colombia. On March 10, 2000, over 200 families were forcibly displaced following a brutal paramilitary incursion, marking a profound rupture in the community’s social fabric.In the aftermath, these women transformed their trauma into a process of collective healing and cultural preservation. By 2004, they began utilizing the ancestral art of sewing as a means to transmit oral histories, cultural values, and communal memories. Through participatory workshops and intergenerational training, they established a pedagogical model that integrates traditional sewing techniques with storytelling, fostering resilience and empowerment within the community. The group’s efforts have not only safeguarded intangible cultural heritage but have also gained national and international recognition. In 2015, they were a

Safeguarding Afro-Pacific Intangible Cultural Heritage in Colombia: A Community-Led Model by Marimbea

- Marimba de chonta music and traditional chants (Bunde, Bambuco Viejo, Alabados, Juga, Rumba, Agua, among others)- Rituals and dance forms linked to music- Oral traditions (décima, storytelling)- Culinary knowledge (viche, traditional recepies)- Instrument-making and crafts (marimba de chonta, guasás, cununos, bombos)Marimbea’s approach centers cultural identity as a vehicle for dignity, peacebuilding, and economic inclusion. Its work connects intergenerational wisdom with innovative practices, supporting communities to safeguard their heritage while creating opportunities for sustainable development. Over the past decade, Marimbea has led more than 120 immersive cultural experiences in Colombia and eight other countries, reaching over 1,000 participants and directly benefiting over 400 people in rural and urban Afro-Colombian communities. These experiences include community-led cultural tourism circuits, educational workshops, interactive concerts, artistic residencies, virtual festivals, performances, and

Marimbea Experience: Immersive AfroColombian Pacific Music Workshop - Bogotá

Marimbea invites you to a unique cultural transmission experience through the traditional music of Colombia’s Pacific coast. An immersive, community-centered music workshop that celebrates and transmits the rich musical traditions of Colombia’s South Pacific coast. Participants learn directly from Afro-Pacific musicians through hands-on sessions, culminating in a festive community showcase.No previous musical experience is required—the workshop is open to all who are eager to learn, connect, and celebrate Afro-Pacific heritage.Marimbea Experience is a four-session in-person workshop designed to connect participants with the ancestral musical practices of the Afro-Colombian Pacific coast. Through practical sessions led by renowned traditional musician Cristian Mina (from Guapi, Cauca), participants will engage deeply with instruments such as marimbas and traditional percussions, and explore the cultural context that gives life to this musical heritage.Each session includes guided instruction, access to instru

Colombian Intangible Cultural Heritage “WORDS FROM OUR LAND: WEAVING THOUGHT AND MEMORY FROM OUR ROOTS”

“Words from Our Land” is a project that has been continuously developed since 2013, with over 10 years of uninterrupted work. Its main goal is to create educational, research, and social-cultural participation spaces around the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) of Colombian communities. It also aims to revitalize native languages and bring visibility to the ancestral knowledge of Indigenous, Afro-Colombian, and Roma peoples, addressing the loss and degradation of these unique cultural elements that have historically been marginalized.Throughout its evolution, the project has included workshops, community work, conferences, research processes, promotion of oral traditions, food sovereignty practices, and territorial care, establishing an intercultural and transformative intervention model. Its most recent edition was held in September 2024.Key Achievements:Conferences and events around ICH: Numerous educational events with national and international guests have been held, promoting the exchange of ancestral k

Webinar: Paving the Way for the Culture 2030 Goal – The Contributions of the 2003 Convention

The ICH NGO Forum has been involved in the Culture 2030 Goal Campaign since 2023. As the campaign advances its aim of securing a stand-alone goal for culture in the post-Agenda 2030 framework, it is essential that the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is fully recognized and meaningfully integrated into the process. A broad and inclusive understanding of culture — particularly the concept of intangible cultural heritage and its community-based approaches — is vital. These are areas in which many NGOs accredited under the 2003 Convention bring extensive experience and valuable perspectives.In this webinar, participants will gain insights into the current state and direction of the Culture 2030 Goal Campaign, the upcoming Mondiacult 2025 conference in Barcelona, and the potential roles and opportunities for NGOs accredited under the 2003 Convention to contribute to these global cultural policy developments.The seminar is open for all, but targeted especially for accredited

Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development (AUEED) presented Egyptian treasures in Cairo

Preview of the Egyptian Treasures Tour in CairoBefore the tour begins, showcasing Egyptian heritage and disseminating it in six French cities.The tour will run from March 3 to March 22, 2025.

Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development Martial Tahtib Tournament

Final qualifiers for the Martial Tahtib Tournament, organized by the Upper Egypt Association, pitted teams from five Upper Egyptian cities. The association is known to sponsor combat Tahtib schools in several Upper Egyptian cities.

Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development revive Nubian heritage in EMARATES

The Qitharet Taiba band is participating in the 19th edition of the Sharjah Heritage Days. The band is reviving Egyptian Nubian heritage through diverse performances and a collection of traditional songs, including a piece from the Hilali epic and some songs of joy and harvest from Upper Egypt. The performances will be held on the "Ayyam Theater," the main stage of the Sharjah Heritage Days, amidst a warm public reception of Egyptian cultural heritage. The events will run from March 10 to March 28, 2022, under the theme "Heritage and the Future." Thirty-three countries are participating in this year's Sharjah Heritage Days.

Assosiation of Upper Egypt for Education and Development in the annual meeting of the World Martial Arts Union (WoMAU)

AUEED participated in the annual meeting of the World Martial Arts Union (WoMAU) for the fourth consecutive year, presenting its experience in preserving and reviving the Tahteeb game. Nevin Wagdy, Director of the Cultural Development Program at the Upper Egypt Association, attended the meeting, which was held on Wednesday and Thursday, August 16 and 17, 2023, in Chungju, South Korea, with the participation of 70 members from 47 countries around the world. Nevin Wagdy, Director of the Cultural Development Program at the Association, was also elected Vice President of the World Martial Arts Committee for the next two years. It is noteworthy that in 2019, the Upper Egypt Association Tahtib Team represented Egypt in the Chungju Festival in South Korea, which is organized by the World Traditional Martial Arts Union (WOMAU) and under the auspices of UNESCO. The team presented many different Tahtib shows, which shed global light on Egyptian Tahtib represented by the Upper Egypt Association Tahtib Team. At the same

AUEED organized the final qualifiers for Martial Tahtib Tournament

AUEED organized the final qualifierThe Upper Egypt Association organized the final qualifiers for the Tahtib Sports Tournament on August 20 and 21 in Minya, with the participation of the association's tahtib sports teams. The association's ceremonial tahtib team in Al-Bayadiya, Minya, participated in the award ceremony for the winning teams. The qualifiers were the result of a local tournament organized by the Upper Egypt Association's Cultural Development Program over the past few months in the governorates of Luxor, Qena, Sohag, and Assiut.s for Martial Tahtib Tournament

Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development in Global Martial Arts forum

The Upper Egypt Association for Education and Development participated in the World Forum for Traditional Martial Arts held in Cheongju, South Korea, from October 7 to 9, 2024. The paper, presented by Nevin Wagdy, Director of the Cultural Development Program at the Upper Egypt Association, showcased the association's experience in empowering and building the capacity of young men and women through the Tahtib method as an intangible human heritage to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The paper was presented by Nevin Wagdy, Director of the Cultural Development Program at the Upper Egypt Association. She also gave a lecture on the third day about the association's cultural development program activities in light of the Sustainable Development Goals. Relations between the Upper Egypt Association and the World Traditional Martial Arts Union (WOMAU) date back to 2019, when the Upper Egypt Association's Tahtib Team represented Egypt for the first time at the Chungju Festival in South Korea, organized by WOM

AUEED Martial Tahtib Team in "Peace Road" event hosted by the French Cultural Center

On February 5, 2025, the Tahtib Sports Team, affiliated with the Upper Egypt Association for Education and Development (Sohag), participated in a performance as part of the "Peace Road" event hosted by the French Cultural Center in El-Monira. The event was attended by the French Ambassador to Egypt, Eric Chevalier, and was met with great admiration from the audience.

Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development (AUEED) presented"Arts from Upper Egypt to the World"

Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development (AUEED) presented the second edition of the "Arts from Upper Egypt to the World" Festival on Sunday, February 9, 2025, at the Italian Cultural Institute Theatre in Cairo. The event was attended by Dr. Laila Iskandar, Vice president of AUEED and the former Minister of Environment of Egypt.This edition followed the festival’s first performance in November 2024 which was held at the Jesuit Theatre in Minya. The showcased performances were inspired by Minya’s cultural heritage, reinterpreted to show contemporary and pressing issues. The festival featured a mesmerizing performance of "Balad Zeinab" operetta by the AUEED Choir in Minya, alongside the "Abu Zaid" show performed by the Ceremonial Tahtib Team, both of which received an enthusiastic response from the audience.This project is funded by the European Union in collaboration with EUNIC Egypt

Assosiation of Upper Egypt for Education and Development Teams perform Egyptian ICH in Ahram Ebdo news

Le journal Al-Ahram Hebdo en français publie les détails de notre tournée artistique en France.https://french.ahram.org.eg/News/59842.aspx

AUEED live interview on Monte Carlo International Radio

live interview with the Upper Egypt Association's "Treasures of Egypt" tour team on Monte Carlo International Radio. Nevin Wagdy cultural program manager in association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development explained the effective role of AUEED plays in promoting Egyptian cultural heritage nationally and internationally, instilling its values ​​among young people, and ensuring its transmission across generations.the link: https://mc-d.co/26Rn

Assosiation of Upper Egypt for Education and Development Teams perform Egyptian ICH in UNESCO

The Permanent Delegation of the Arab Republic of Egypt to UNESCO organized a heritage event at the organization's headquarters in Paris entitled "Treasures of Egypt." The event was held in cooperation with the French Partage Association and the Upper Egypt Association for Education and Development. A group of Egyptian children presented a number of artistic performances from Egyptian heritage, including the art of "stick dancing - tahtib," as well as artistic performances and traditional Egyptian songs from Upper Egypt and Nubia. The event was attended by a large number of ambassadors and representatives of member states and a wide audience interested in Egyptian heritage.Ambassador Alaa Youssef, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Paris and its Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, delivered the opening speech in which he noted Egypt's inscription of tahtib on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016. He reviewed the history of this art, which dates back to the Pharaoni

AUEED from Egypt Perform Egyptian ICH "Treasures of Egypt" tour in France

The "Treasures of Egypt" tour concluded its performances in Compiègne, France. The final show witnessed a large audience turnout and remarkable audience interaction.We extend our sincere thanks to our partners, the Partage Association, for providing the opportunity for the artistic groups of the Upper Egypt Association for Education and Development to present their heritage, arts, and message calling for equality between boys and girls.This tour, which was invited by the French Partage Association to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, ran from March 3 to 22, 2025. It included performances in seven different French cities: Lille, Paris (UNESCO), Lyon, Bordeaux, Saint-Agréve, Saint-Médard-en-Jales, and Compiègne. The performances were warmly welcomed by the French audiences in each city. Twenty-one boys and girls from Minya and Luxor governorates, aged 11 to 13, participated in the tour, presenting distinguished performances in singing, sports, and traditional stick fighting. The aim was to promote Egyptian cu

Festive events held under the slogan "May your values ​​​​be eternal - Navruz!"

"May Your Values Be Eternal – Navruz!" Celebration in TakhtakupirUnder the slogan "May Your Values Be Eternal – Navruz!", a grand festive event was held in Takhtakupir district. The celebration brought together local residents, cultural figures, and officials to honor the rich traditions of Navruz.The event featured national music, traditional dances, and folk performances, highlighting the deep cultural heritage of the Karakalpak people. Local artisans showcased their crafts, and a special exhibition displayed traditional dishes symbolizing prosperity and unity.Organized by the Takhtakupir District Administration, the festival emphasized the importance of preserving and passing down intangible cultural heritage to future generations. Navruz once again served as a reminder of peace, renewal, and the enduring values of our ancestors.

Colombian Intangible Cultural Heritage and Peace: Museum Bodies for Empathy

This inventory documents a journey through Colombia’s most remote territories and silenced communities, exploring the role of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in fostering peace, collective memory, and social cohesion. The project engages diverse cultural expressions, including bodily movement, music, Cuadros Vivos (Living Pictures), weaving, and traditional games, as tools for mutual understanding, empathy, and reconciliation.By facilitating cultural exchanges between territories and communities, the initiative nurtures awareness of Colombia’s rich cultural mosaic. Through the transmission of songs, movements, stories, and emotions, participants co-create collective narratives, shaping a polyphonic chorus that reimagines and transforms history.The creative process unfolds in three key stages: Exploring Embodied Memories – Recognizing the body as a living archive of personal and collective experiences.Mapping Social Connections – Identifying shared gestures and interactions that reflect cultural heritage an

Call for abstracts ICH and Climate Change /Appel à communications PCI et Changement Climatique

Dear members of the working group on ICH and Climate Change,This is a friendly reminder that the deadline for the submission of abstracts is quickly approaching (24 February !!!!).It would be appreciated if you could submit your abstract before our meeting on Tuesday 18 February so we have a better idea of the number of people submitting. I look forward to seeing you at our next seminar on Tuesday, 15h00 Paris time. PLEASE FIND THE AGENDA BELOWBUSINESS MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP ON ICH, CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE ENVIRONMENTTuesday, 18 February 2025 from 16:00 to 17h00 (UTC +1)  (UNESCO Paris time) Join Zoom Meetinghttps://us02web.zoom.us/j/89064105303?pwd=qVJtaVJdt0fpXjuTiNPcIwTodVuw2F.1ID of Meeting: 890 6410 5303    Secret Code : 874477  AGENDA 1.   Word of welcome and presentation of new members2.   Approval of the Agenda3.   Approval of the minutes of the last meeting4.   Information5.  Evalutation of the abstract submissions and calendar 6.   Website7.  Other business8.   Adjournment9.  Date of the next m

Activities of the ICH NGO Forum During 19.COM

This year's symposium is organised jointly by the Executive Board of the ICH NGO Forum and the WG Research under the theme Participatory Approaches to Living Heritage: NGO PerspectivesThe one-day symposium will focus on how NGOs develop and implement community-based and participatory approaches to safeguarding living heritage. Sessions will present a range of international case-studies and look at how participatory work is shaped by the local context of each field site, but also practical and ethical issues of translating global heritage policy into practice. The panel discussion will provide an opportunity to review and reflect on the challenges and opportunities of participatory work.Immediately following these sessions, a panel on the Overall Results Framework (ORF) will present a Handbook and an Information Note on the ORF in relation to NGO involvement in the realisation of the ORF and into periodic reporting in the countries.Date: Sunday, 1 December, 2024, 09:30 – 17:30 (GMT-3) local time in ParaguayOns

ICHNGO annual report of the Forum’s programmatic activities

CONVENTION FOR THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR THE SAFEGUARDING OF THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE Nineteenth session Asunción, Republic of Paraguay 2 to 7 December 2024 Item 13 of the provisional agenda: Report of the non-governmental organizations forum Summary The present document brings the attention of the Committee to the report by the ICH NGO Forum on its activities since the eighteenth session of the Committee in December 2023. Decision required: paragraph 6 LHE/24/19.COM/13 – page 2 1. Since 2020, the Committee has examined an annual ‘Report of the Non-Governmental Organizations Forum’ as a stand-alone agenda item, following the request by the Committee at its fourteenth session in 2019 (Decision 14.COM 15). Pursuant to Decision 18.COM 15 adopted by the eighteenth session of the Committee, the present session of the Committee is requested, once again and for the fifth time, to examine such a report submitted by the ICH NGO Forum as provided in the

19th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the ICH

The nineteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place in Asunción, Republic of Paraguay from Monday 2 to Saturday 7 December 2024.An opening ceremony is scheduled on Sunday, 1 December 2024. The session will be chaired by H.E. Ms Nancy Ovelar de Gorostiaga, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Delegate of the Republic of Paraguay to UNESCO.Attached are the programs from the EB: The Executive Board is looking forward to seeing you at person in Asuncion, Paraguay or online at the ICH NGO Forum’s Symposium on Sunday, December 1st at 9:30 Paraguay time (GMT -3, 1:30 CET), Presentation of Candidates for the Executive Board on Monday, December 2nd  at 17:45 Paraguay time (GMT -3, 21:45 CET) and the General Assembly on Wednesday, December 4th at 13:15 Paraguay time (GMT -3, 17:15 CET).  There will be a robust program of ICH NGO Forum associated side events throughout the week.   You can find here a program listing of a

JAMU WELLNESS CULTURE

Inscribed in 2023 (https://ich.unesco.org/en/18com) on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Jamu is a wellness culture in the form of herbal medicine and traditional treatment heritage of the Indonesian people. Jamu culture has existed in Indonesia/Nusantara since the 8th Century CE. This is proven from relief carvings on Borobudur Temple (8TH Century) and ancient manuscripts (eg. Ramayana Kekawin, sarga 1-9, pada 989 (910 CE), Serat Centini 1814 M, and palm leaf manuscripts. Jamu is not the same as ordinary medicine, being for health, beauty, happiness, Jamu increases the body's immunity, maintains health and helps treat diseases, according to a heritage system.The geographical location of jamu wellness culture encompasses the whole of Indonesia. Concentrations of jamu wellness culture are found in the provinces of Central Java, Yogyakarta Special Province and East Java. Jamu makers from Java have spread all over Indonesia. Traditional medicines are found in various regions in Indonesia w

Ła Comedia Veneta - The Venetian Comedy

The Venetian Comedy as a cultural means of expression, entertainment, learning and socialization done in the Venetian language as a vehicle and an essential element of the plays.Dating back to the XV century, with high-ranking periods, it is currently a vast phenomenon in Venetian-speaking communities in the Veneto region and where venetophone stable, ample and long-standing communities are present abroad for historical reasons (mainly: Slovenia, Croatia, Brasil).It is studied by Academias (as a performing art and as to the language and culture) and currently very active thanks to hundreds of acting companies, both professional and amateur, with dozens of playwirghts.

Korean bamboo screen/blind making: jukryeom/yeomjang

To separate and create interior and outside spaces, for privacy, to create cooling shade from the sun in the hot weather that retained breeze, for ritual and state use, and a myriad of other uses, Koreans made bamboo blinds or screens. Three-to-four-year-old bamboo (wangdae) is harvested by hand in climates and ecosystems that grow the strongest and most dense plants, and then processed in many steps to harvest the outer grain of each cylinder and splice them thin. The finest screens are made from splints drawn through metal drawplates, and woven with weights and, traditionally, silk thread, on a loom.

Carnaval de Mamatoco

Históricamente, los primeros carnavales en el Caribe se remontan al siglo XVI en la zona de Mamatoco, Santa Marta, donde convergieron colonizadores, indígenas y más tarde poblaciones afrodescendientes. Esta mezcla cultural tomó forma bajo la influencia de la Iglesia Católica, evidenciada por la construcción de la primera iglesia de Hispanoamérica en Mamatoco. Sin embargo, con el tiempo, esto llevó gradualmente a que la expresión carnavalesca se ocultara dentro del ritual religioso. Mamatoco es quizás el único lugar en el mundo donde se celebran vibrantes precarnavales, aunque paradójicamente su carnaval permanece oculto, representando el origen de los carnavales caribeños en Colombia y la identidad de las mujeres y hombres caribeños.Este fenómeno agrega una capa adicional de complejidad y autenticidad a las celebraciones populares y comunitarias en toda la cuenca del Caribe, enfatizando la riqueza cultural y la singularidad de las expresiones carnavalescas hispanoamericanas, que tienen una amplia relación con

Festive Cycle around the devotion and cult of Saint John the Baptist

It is an element of the Intangible Cultural Heritage deeply rooted in more than 150 communities in the northern and central coastal region of the country, in most cases located in front of the Caribbean Sea, at the foot of the Coastal Mountains. These communities are located mainly in the states of Aragua, Carabobo, Miranda, Vargas (current state of La Guaira) and Yaracuy, and include different localities, both rural and urban, of Afro-descendant origin.

Traditional skills of building and sailing Iranian Lenj boats in the Persian Gulf

Inscribed in 2011 (6.COM) on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent SafeguardingIranian Lenj vessels are traditionally hand-built and are used by inhabitants of the northern coast of the Persian Gulf for sea journeys, trading, fishing and pearl diving. The traditional knowledge surrounding Lenjes includes oral literature, performing arts and festivals, in addition to the sailing and navigation techniques and terminology and weather forecasting that are closely associated with sailing, and the skills of wooden boat-building itself. The navigational knowledge used to sail Lenjes was traditionally passed on from father to son. Iranian navigators could locate the ship according to the positions of the sun, moon and stars; they used special formulae to calculate latitudes and longitudes, as well as water depth. Each wind was given a name, which along with the colour of water or the height of waves was used to help forecast the weather. Specific music and rhythms also constituted inseparable par

Qālišuyān rituals of Mašhad-e Ardehāl in Kāšān

Inscribed in 2012 (7.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of HumanityQālišuyān rituals are practised in Iran to honour the memory of Soltān Ali, a holy figure among the people of Kāšān and Fin. According to legend, he was martyred, and his body found and carried in a carpet to a stream, where it was washed and buried by the people of Fin and Xāve. Today, Soltān Ali mausoleum is the site of a ritual where a carpet is washed in the holy stream by a huge gathering. It takes place on the nearest Friday to the seventeenth day of the month of Mehr, according to the solar-agricultural calendar. In the morning, people of Xāve gather at the mausoleum to sprinkle rosewater on the carpet. Having completed the wrapping rituals, they deliver it to the people of Fin outside, who rinse the carpet in running water, and sprinkle rosewater drops with neatly cut and beautifully decorated wooden sticks. The carpet is then returned to the mausoleum. People of Kāšān contribute a prayer-carpet and the

Naqqāli, Iranian dramatic story-telling

Inscribed in 2011 (6.COM) on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent SafeguardingNaqqāli is the oldest form of dramatic performance in the Islamic Republic of Iran and has long played an important role in society, from the courts to the villages. The performer – the Naqqāl – recounts stories in verse or prose accompanied by gestures and movements, and sometimes instrumental music and painted scrolls. Naqqāls function both as entertainers and as bearers of Persian literature and culture, and need to be acquainted with local cultural expressions, languages and dialects, and traditional music. Naqqāli requires considerable talent, a retentive memory and the ability to improvise with skill to captivate an audience. The Naqqāls wear simple costumes, but may also don ancient helmets or armoured jackets during performances to help recreate battle scenes. Female Naqqāls perform before mixed audiences. Until recently, Naqqāls were deemed the most important guardians of folk-tales, ethnic epics and I

Nawrouz, Novruz, Nowrouz, Nowrouz, Nawrouz, Nauryz, Nooruz, Nowruz, Navruz, Nevruz, Nowruz, Navruz

Inscribed in 2016 (11.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of HumanityNew Year is often a time when people wish for prosperity and new beginnings. March 21 marks the start of the year in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It is referred to as Nauryz, Navruz, Nawrouz, Nevruz, Nooruz, Novruz, Nowrouz or Nowruz meaning ‘new day’ when a variety of rituals, ceremonies and other cultural events take place for a period of about two weeks. An important tradition practised during this time is the gathering around ‘the Table’, decorated with objects that symbolize purity, brightness, livelihood and wealth, to enjoy a special meal with loved ones. New clothes are worn and visits made to relatives, particularly the elderly and neighbours. Gifts are exchanged, especially for children, featuring objects made by artisans. There are also street performances of music and dance, publi

Training workshop on capacity-building for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage with focus on empowering women for sustained livelihood and sustainable development

This project is envisaged to be held in 2024. It will make the most of relevant success stories on the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage that have proved effective in empowering women through sustained livelihoods and the intergenerational transfer of knowhow on living heritage of communities, in the Region and beyond. Women in West and Central Asia are bearers of valuable knowledge, professions, skills, and arts. They are the bearers of different forms of oral culture that has been continued and developed by themselves through time. The continuity of these forms of living heritage in today’s world, with a special focus on the role of women, is dependent on the part(s) that these forms of living heritage can play in sustained economic development of their bearer communities. Considering that the Region and beyond is abundant with such success stories, the proposed project can offer an opportunity to selected countries of the Region for empowering women.

Networking among NGOs of the region (west and central Asia), information-sharing and mapping of expertise

Working with representatives from member and participating countries of Tehran ICH Centre, develop a better understanding of the role of NGOs in the 2003 Convention and identify and gather information on such bodies/entities in each country. This project that was envisaged for implementation in FY 2023-2024 and effective steps have been taken so far in implementing it in hybrid and online formats, needs to be continued in FY 2024-2025 to achieve the objectives and expected results outlined for it under the approved Action Plan by the Tehran ICH Centre. This will involve, in FY 2024-25, holding one or more information-sharing meeting(s) with focal points from member and participating countries with the aim of exploring and explaining: the range and type of potentially relevant NGOs/CSOs in the regional countries; the role of NGOs within the 2003 Convention; the areas of policy-making and of ICH safeguarding in which they might be active; and the possibilities and process of accreditation to the Committee. This

The Eel Coast Cultural Heritage

The Eel Coast Cultural Heritage refers to the more than 3000 years old eel fishing tradition in the Southeastern Sweden. At least since the Scandinavian Bronze Age, eel has been fished for its meat and richness of healthy proteins, Omega 3 and D-vitamines. The traditions along the so called Eel Coast between Åhus and Kivik on the East coast of the landscape Scania, Sweden, are collected by the Eel Coast Cultural Heritage NGO and consist of knowlegde of tools, nets, boats, boat houses, craftmanship, mending of nets and tools, the currents and sea, songs, cooking, oral storytelling.

Jiseung

Jiseung, or Korean paper basketry, is an indigenous art form practiced in Korea for centuries and is sometimes referred to as noyeokgae. It involves twisting and twining lengths of hanji (Korean paper) into objects needed in households. Beyond using long lengths of corded hanji for rope, which were turned into mesh bags and undergarments, hanji twists were woven into vessels, mats, tea tables, pillowcases, shoes, quivers, brush holders, baskets, wallets, backpacks, purses, lanterns, chamber pots, bowls, and teapots.

Tornohan

“In some places, exchange-labor relationships may not be structured as a network (with fuzzy boundaries) but may be quite elaborately organized, as is the case in Luisiana, Laguna (Duhaylungsod, 1981 in Olofson, 1983, p. 169). Here the arrangement is called tornohan, and a group of farmers democratically elect a facilitator (kabisilya), (whose) office rotates among them. They have a set term of agreement for a period of work, meet on the same two days of every week, always hold a festivity at the end of every turn and rotation, and have regular meetings to analyze problems encountered in the work and to decide on the remaining schedule. Besides the expansion and cultivation of upland and wet-rice parcels, the tornohan involves work in coconut plantations and in making fishponds in damming streams” (Olofson, 1983, p. 169).  Text submitted by Raizel Albano, Founder and Director of Anthro on Foot Audio Walking Tours

Harmonic Swiddens

“Harmonic swiddens (are) precursors to indigenous agroforestry” (Olofson, 1983, p. 154). “Swiddens—clearings made in the forest by shifting cultivators—may be of two types, depending on the cultural traditions of the farmer. Harmonic swiddens are simultaneous polycultures that have the characteristics listed above for AFS*. Disharmonic swiddens may have evolved from harmonic ones, with the farmer learning to specialize to the point of monoculture or near-monoculture, with one species such as sweet potato, upland rice, or corn dominating in the field… The harmonic swidden is much more capable than the disharmonic of regenerating into natural forest during the fallow period” (ibid.). “The Tiruray of Mindanao have been described as having another kind of what I call resonance between the forest and the cultivated areas. This involves a virtual exchange of planting materials between the two sites. Four bamboo species, the fruit trees Averrhoa carambola, narra, and Gendarussa vulgaris are taken from the forest and

Primus Occupantis

“The general pattern in the establishment of rights to land in the Cordillera is primus occupantis (i.e., the first to occupy the land by clearing and using it). Titles are embedded in rituals and are orally transmitted. The various groups have different land-use systems and different kinds of rights attached to land—for foraging, swiddening, wet-rice agriculture, mining, and grazing cattle and water buffalo. It is not uncommon for some ethnic groups to have multiple land-use systems, each governed by different rules” (Prill-Brett, 1994, p. 689).  Text submitted by Raizel Albano, Founder and Director of Anthro on Foot Audio Walking Tours

Subsistence (or Kinship) Mode of Production

“Indigenous communities are generally subsistence production societies… Because forests are a highly diversified environment, they provide opportunities for a variety of productive activities such as forest resource extraction, horticulture, hunting and fishing. Traditionally, the exploitation of the natural environment is carried out on a small scale because the fundamental goal is simple production to maintain the household and not production of surplus for the market. By its nature, this mode of production tends not to over-exploit the available resources. Such a level of resource exploitation does more to assure long-term sustainability of production, although it is considered underproductive from the standpoint of formal economics” (Duhaylungsod, 1998; Duhaylungsod & Hyndman, 1995 in Duhaylungsod, 2001, p. 612).“This subsistence mode of production of indigenous peoples is largely based on an ideology of reciprocal exchange. As in access to land use, the entire production system of indigenous peoples is s

Baybayin

Baybayin is one of the Philippines’ most widely used ancient scripts, as used in the Laguna Copperplate (shown in the photo) codifying the payment of a certain debt.Stemming from the Tagalog word “baybay,” meaning “to spell,” archaeological and historical records suggest that the Baybayin was used between the 14th to 16th centuries, coinciding with the Filipinos’ active trade with their Malaysian and Indonesian neighbors, who were then using the Kawi script. The emergence of the Baybayin and Kawi scripts testify to maritime Southeast Asia’s interactions with Indian traders as both scripts appear to descend from the Brahmic or Indic script, a script widely used in India during the reign of Emperor Ashoka.As of this writing, only four indigenous groups are known to be using this script (Brookes, 2021; Griffiths, 2018; Hartmann, 1986; Kuipers & Bhaskararao, 2003; Postma, 1992; Wade, 1993).      Text by Raizel Albano, Founder and Director of Anthro on Foot Audio Walking Tours

Mayvanuvanua

“The term mataw refers to the method of hook-and-line fishing for dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) and to the fisher using this method” (Mangahas, 2008, p. 380).“Traditionally in Batanes the mataw method of fishing has a collective aspect: before the fishing season begins fishers must first get together to “make the port” (Mayvanuvanua). Presently there are only four mataw ports or vanua in Batan Island: Chanpa-n, Manichit, Maratay, and Diora, located on the Valugan (roughly the east) side of Batan Island” (ibid.). “By making the vanua (Mayvanuvanua), the mataw transform the vanua, which is a natural geological feature of the landscape, into a sacred and sensitive place” (ibid., p. 380-382). Text submitted by Raizel Albano, Founder and Director of Anthro on Foot Audio Walking Tours

Payuhwan

“The general term for cooperative work among the Ivatan is payuhwan, wherein the group extends or rotates the cooperative work to its members. The sound of the vudyadong or Triton’s trumpet shell signals the start and end of the cooperative work and the time to rest among the payuhwan” (Tabios, 2020). “In case one member cannot attend the payuhwan on the scheduled date, the member must send a representative or substitute” (ibid.), reflecting the community's deeply rooted regard for harmony and unity. Text submitted by Raizel Albano, Founder and Director of Anthro on Foot Audio Walking Tours

Solbeg

The Kankana-eys, an indigenous group from the northern Philippines, resort to a sharing system called solbeg.As the baknang (a member of a wealthy household) entrusts one cattle head to his/her caretaker, the latter ensures that the cattle head produces three offspring: two of which, along with the original head, are given back to the baknang, while the remaining head is to be kept by the caretaker.Through the solbeg sharing system, the baknang and the caretaker share in the responsibility of growing more cattle (Bagamaspad and Pawid 1985), benefitting their respective families and the community.  Text by Raizel Albano, Founder and Director of Anthro on Foot Audio Walking Tours

Tongtong

The tongtong is the primary justice system used by indigenous communities in the Cordillera Administrative Region in the Philippines for conflict resolution. With customary laws serving as its basis, the tongtongan (or the “council of elders”) serves as judges, mediators, and counselors.As outlined by Rice (1974), the tongtongan follows these basic principles: (1) Judgment is immediate, final, and executory; (2) All hearings are held in public; (3) Restoration is immediate and accomplished through a celebration involving the entire community; (4) The kin of the guilty party is involved in the payment of fines, while the kin of the offended party is the recipient of a portion of the fine; and, (5) Pig, which is a portion of the fine, is butchered for the celebration.After settlement, a member of the tongtongan pours water on both parties’ hands to symbolize the cleansing of past hurts. They also drink tapey/tapuey/tapuy, a traditional rice wine, from the same glass, to embody friendship and camaraderie from he

Cañao

“Cañao is a festival or ceremony, a liturgy or service, a rite or ritual and offering. It is a celebration for productive economic activities where animals are offered in thanksgiving known as Iya-ey (the term used among the Kankana-eys). Th(i)s is also done during marriages, healing, birth, burial, and voyage where prayer plays a significant role. They invoke spirits with offerings of animals, food, and other material things prescribed by (local) priests” (Igorot Cordillera BIMAAK Europe, 2013).“Dancing is also part of Cañao. There is this two-person dance of a man and a woman. The man hangs blankets woven in an indigenous pattern or design over each shoulder while the woman wraps a single similar blanket around her waist. The man leads the woman, and they dance in a circular motion with a hop-skip tempo to the beat of sticks and gongs. The dancing continues until a member of the audience decides to honor the dancers with a shout, “Ooo wag, Hoy! Hoy,” ending the dancing" (ibid.).Text submitted by Raizel Alba

Mangejing

Mangejing is one of the most significant socio-cultural rituals of the Marapu Indigenous Religion community of Kanatang district, East Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. This ritual used to be undertaken on an annual basis synchronised to the agricultural harvest, but in recent decades has only been performed around once every decade. Mangejing takes place over a period of one week and at a series of set locations which have historic and religious significance in and around a clan village. Although many aspects of the event are undertaken by specialists in oral tradition, music, song and ritual, the entire village and representatives from surrounding clans also take part. Mangejing incorporates a wide range of intangible and tangible cultural expressions including ritual parallel speech, song, music, dance, traditional games, weaving, carving, goldsmithing and the performative aspects of ritual. Marapu ritual specialist Umbu Timbu Wohangara explains the purpose of the ritual: “There are several re

Angkuoch (Cambodian Jew's Harp)

Although the musical instrument popularly known as the “Jew’s Harp” is found in many countries around the world, the Cambodian version is unique. Called Angkuoch, it is a precious part of Cambodia’s living cultural heritage.Nowadays, Angkuoch and its associated practices require urgent safeguarding actions. Due to social and cultural shifts in Cambodia over the last half-century, including the devastation of the Khmer Rouge era in the 1970s, only a handful of people still know how to make and play Angkuoch. In Cambodia, Angkuoch is (or has been) found in several provinces both among the majority Khmer people and some ethnic minorities.Angkuoch was once a popular local pastime in village communities. Traditional social functions for playing Angkuoch include as a rural pastime, young men, and to accompany simple folk songs. Players and makers of Angkuoch are typically men, though there appear to be no cultural restrictions on women playing or making the instruments.There are at least three types of Cambodian An

Etëtung (Vanuatu Women's Water Music)

Etëtung, known in English as Vanuatu Women’s Water Music, is a sonically and visually striking performance tradition that is found in several communities in the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu. Standing in a circle or semi-circle in waist-deep water, the women rhythmically slap the surface of the water using a variety of hand techniques that create a diversity of sounds. These sounds reflect those in the natural local environment – the call of a particular species of bird, for example, an oncoming cyclone, or waves over the reef at low tide. Contemporary Etëtung performances often comprise a handful of “pieces” each lasting a minute or two (though this depends on performance context and function). Typically, each piece features a distinct rhythm (or set of rhythms) accompanied by a simple chanted or intoned melodic phrase. One community whose practice of Etëtung as become particularly renowned is that of Leweton village, on the island of Espiritu Santo. Since the founding in 2008 of the cultural tourism ente

UNESCO Chair on ICH in Public and Global Governance

The new UNESCO Chair on ICH in Public and Global Governance, that will take place on the 14th of March, between 10.30-16.30 Paris time at the Univeristy of Poland.Join us on March 14, 2024, at 10.00 am CET for the official opening of the UNESCO Chair on Intangible Cultural Heritage in Public and Global Governance at the University of Warsaw!  Live online transmission available: https://uw-edu-pl.zoom.us/j/93960338860Led by Prof. Hanna Schreiber, this Chair aims to explore effective, ethical, and sustainable governance of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). From oral traditions to traditional craftsmanship, ICH shapes our cultural identity and fosters social cohesion. Join us as we delve into its importance and challenges.Learn more about the event at ichgovernance.com. Let's celebrate and preserve our cultural diversity together! UNESCOChair #HeritageWeek #CulturalDiversity

7th National Ring Fight Championship 2023

This is Tadem Ravi Kumar Founder & President Ring Fight Game our game is a Culture and sports Traditional game in Telangana state , India

2024 JIAPICH Application Opening

The forthcoming autumn will witness Jeonju City serving as the venue for the 2024 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH). This distinguished international award ceremony was instituted to commend individuals or organizations that have demonstrated exemplary leadership in the preservation and promotion of intangible cultural heritage on a global scale. The inaugural JIAPICH took place in 2019, and the imminent event represents its sixth iteration. The primary objective is to acknowledge the selfless contributions of individuals across all domains of intangible cultural heritage and stakeholder in the world's heritage.Here are the Key Dates for 2024: January 1, 2024: Download application forms through the official webpage (jiapich,org) January 30, 2024: Application workshop (open to all, zoom link provided below) February 1, 2024: Commencement of application submission April 30, 2024: Deadline for application submission August 1, 2024: Announcement of 2024 JIAPICH Fina

Newly elected ICH NGO Forum Executive Board members and officers

Dear NGO members,The Electoral Board is pleased to announce the newly elected ICH NGO Forum Executive Board members and officers. As you know, In compliance with the Electoral Rules, the elections this year were aimed at electing members for three electoral regions (Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean, and Arab States).The newly elected ICH NGO Forum Executive Board memebers and officers are:(1) Ms. Tamara Nikolić Đerić, Association House of Batana, Croatia. Group II, Eastern Europe: Term 2023 -2025 (re-elected)(2) Ms. Irina Ruiz, Fundación INDICRI, Panama.  Group III, Latin America and the Caribbean: Term 2023 -2025(3) Mr. Bachirou Njoya, Fondation Princesse Momafon Rabiatou NJOYA, Cameroon. Group V(a), Africa: Term 2023 -2024 (4) Mr. Mohamed Lemine Beidjeu, Association Mauritanienne pour les traditions popularies, Mauritania. Group V(b), Arab states: Term 2023 -2025 (re-elected)The complete list of Executive Board members is as follows:(1) Ms. Tamara Nikolić Đerić, Association House of Batana,

Declaration on Climate Change (Final)

Dear Accredited NGO,The members of the Working Group on ICH, Climate Change and the Environment are pleased to present and invite you to vote online for the Kasane Declaration on the Safeguarding, Promotion and Mobilization of Intangible Cultural in the face of Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss. The Working Group was formed after the ICH NGO Forum symposium organized at 17COM in Rabat, Morocco, in December 2022, and it has prepared this Declaration as part of its mission.The Working Group is made up of 14 members from all regions of the world. It has worked intensively on the Declaration since September of 2023, organizing more than a dozen online meetings. It has also consulted the ANGO’s and legal experts. Two blast emails were sent to all ANGOs to solicit comments, additions and modifications. Furthermore, it posted the Declaration on the ICH NGO Forum website and on the ICH Net website, and invited all ANGOs to an online meeting on November 27 th . The reaction has been enthusiastic and positive. The m

Application Form for 2024 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH) Open Starting Jan. 1st

Dear ICH Community,The application form for the 2024 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH) will open on January 1st, 2024. The JIAPICH is celebrating its 6th edition this year, the JIAPICH is the only international ceremony recognizing exemplary efforts in the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.Individuals, organizations, local communities, experts, administrators, researchers, and NGOs promoting exemplary intangible cultural heritage conservation/preservation activities on a global scale, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, race, age, gender, and other political, social, economic, and cultural preferences, are eligible for recognition.The detailed schedule for the 2024 Jeonju World Intangible Heritage Awards is as follows:January 1st: Application form download is open through the jiapich.org websiteFebruary 1st: Application submission (via website, email)April 31st: Application deadlineJune 1st: Public verification of awardeesJuly 1st: Awardees

2023 Botswana Declaration on Climate Change ICHNGO Forum Working Group Poster (Editing Process)

This is a call for the ICH NGO community to help in the editing process of the Poster that is scheduled to be presented during the 18COM at Kasane, Botswana. The following is the direction from the ICHNGO Forum Working Group on Climate Change on how to edit the poster:I am sharing with you the link of the collective poster that will be printed in A0 size.I inserted:  2023 Cresta Mowana Resort, Kasane, Botswana Declaration." as requested.As soon as we have a link on the web, I will be able to generate the QR for this collective poster. ICHNGO WorkingGroup Draft - COLLECTIVE POSTER An editable Template with the locked Colombian example to follow your examples in a similar way.  ICH NGO WorkingGroup DRAFT Template - SOLO POSTERYou don't need to download the file. Just duplicate the page and the changes will be automatically saved in the same file. The idea is to keep all the pieces ready on the cloud to distribute them on the ICH NGO FORUM website and on the social networks of each organization. Remember to incl

KASANE, BOTSWANA 18COM || ICH NGO FORUM'S TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM, EXHIBIT POSTERS AND FULL PROGRAMME OF ACTIVITIES / KASANE, BOTSWANA18COM || SYMPOSIUM DU VINGTIÈME ANNIVERSAIRE DU FORUM DES ONG DU PCI, AFFICHES D'EXPOSITION ET PROGRAMME COMPLET DES ACTIVITÉS

Dear Colleagues,We are pleased to send you the attached program for the entire week of ICH NGO Forum events in Botswana, including the symposium, side events and General Assembly. Please note that the program for the symposium and poster sessions is a preliminary program, subject to additional confirmations that are received within the next two days and can be accommodated in the final program. The final program will be sent to you by Thursday, November 30th 2023. If you submitted a proposal, please look carefully at the attached preliminary program. If you are listed as doing an oral presentation or poster please check to see if the title and organizational affiliation is correct and whether you are correctly listed as doing an oral presentation in person or on Zoom. If this information is not correct or not indicated, please correct it and add any other additional information. Please kindly remember to email the PowerPoint for an oral presentation to cholponai.ug@gmail.com no later than Wednesday, November

CALL FOR PROPOSALS TO MARK THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE 2003 CONVENTION / APPEL À PROPOSITIONS POUR MARQUER LA CÉLÉBRATION DU VINGTIÈME ANNIVERSAIRE DE LA CONVENTION DE 2003

To mark the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, and to expand accredited NGOs’ foundational works, the Executive Board of ICH-NGO Forum, in association with Mali’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO will present a Symposium and Poster Sessions alongside the 18thIntergovernmental Committee (IGC) meetings in Kasane, Botswana exploring the past, present and future of safeguarding collaborations involving multiple stakeholders. Proposals are welcome from NGOs, State Parties, ICH NGO Forum Working Groups, community-based ICH bearers and practitioners, researchers and cultural heritage program administrators. The ICH NGO Forum is reaching beyond its membership of accredited NGOs in order to advance and foster dialogue among both State and Non-State actors during the 18th IGC meetings and stimulate greater collaboration and teamwork that speak to the future of the larger implementation of Article 18 within the sustainable implementation of the 2003 Con

(UPDATED) DRAFT DECLARATION ON THE SAFEGUARDING, PROMOTION AND MOBILIZATION OF ICH IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE / PROJET DE DÉCLARATION SUR LA SAUVEGARDE, LA PROMOTION ET LA MOBILISATION DU PCI FACE AU CHANGEMENT CLIMATIQUE

Dear accredited NGOs and members of the ICH NGO Forum, I am writing to let you know that the English and French versions of the Draft Declaration are now available.Please find attached files, (ENG-FR) of the Draft Declaration on the Safeguarding, Promotion, and Mobilization of ICH in the Face of Climate Change that was drafted by the Working Group on ICH, Climate Change and the Environment and submitted to the Executive Board for consideration and comments. The Executive Board has now endorsed it and has asked us to circulate it to all accredited NGOs for further comments, additions and suggested changes. Please send your comments, if you have any, by Tuesday, 28 November to the following: Sekou BERTE, Chair of the Executive Board of the ICH NGO Forum; Laurier Turgeon, Chair of the Working Group; Lubna Marium, Secretary of the Working Group: malicultureareas@gmail.com;  laurier.turgeon@hst.ulaval.ca; kanchendzonga@gmail.com). Accredited NGOs will also have a chance to comment on the Declaration at Kasane duri

Draft of the Declaration on the Safeguarding of ICH in the Face of Climate Change || Projected KASANE 18.COM ICH NGO FORUM'S GENERAL ASSEMBLY ITEM

Dear accredited NGOs and members of the ICH NGO Forum, Please find attached the Draft Declaration on the Safeguarding, Promotion, and Mobilization of ICH in the Face of Climate Change that was drafted by the Working Group on ICH,Climate Change and the Environment and submitted to the Executive Board for consideration and comments. The Executive Board has now endorsed it and has asked us to circulate it to all accredited NGOs for further comments, additions and suggested changes. Please send your comments, if you have any, by Monday, 27 November to the following: Sekou BERTE, Chair of the Executive Board of the ICH NGO Forum;Laurier Turgeon, Chair of the Working Group;Lubna Marium, Secretary of the Working Group:malicultureareas@gmail.com laurier.turgeon@hst.ulaval.cakanchendzonga@gmail.com side eventAccredited NGOs will also have a chance to comment on the Declaration at Kasane during the side eventthe WG is organizing on Tuesday 5 December 18h00. The revised and updated version of the Declarationwill be pres

Kimchi / Kimjang

Kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish in Korean cuisine, symbolizes the country's identity and heritage, showcasing the importance of cultural preservation. Apart from its rich cultural significance, kimchi is also prized for its nutritional value, abundant in vitamins A and C, and beneficial bacteria from fermentation, promoting gut health. Kimjang, the communal tradition of making and sharing kimchi before winter, fosters community unity and cooperation, reinforcing the significance of food in nurturing social bonds and preserving cultural practices.

Ssireum

Ssireum, Korean traditional wrestling, holds several meanings and importances within Korean culture. It embodies a rich historical legacy, promoting physical strength, discipline, and camaraderie. Beyond its physical aspects, Ssireum symbolizes the preservation of Korean heritage and serves as a medium for fostering a sense of national identity and pride. As a sport deeply rooted in tradition, it promotes sportsmanship, cultural exchange, and a strong sense of community, emphasizing the values of respect and perseverance. Furthermore, Ssireum plays a role in promoting health and well-being, encouraging a balanced lifestyle and the pursuit of physical fitness.

Tango

Tango, originating from the working-class neighborhoods of Buenos Aires and Montevideo in the late 19th century, carries multiple meanings and holds significant importance:Cultural expression: Tango serves as a powerful cultural expression of the Argentine and Uruguayan people, reflecting their history, struggles, and emotions. It embodies the fusion of various cultural elements, including African, European, and indigenous influences, making it a symbol of cultural diversity and identity.Social significance: Tango has historically been a dance of the people, originating in marginalized communities and providing a form of emotional expression and connection. It has served as a way to break social barriers and create a sense of community among people from diverse backgrounds.Artistic form: Tango is not just a dance but also a musical genre, comprising intricate rhythms, melodies, and poetic lyrics. It has become a celebrated art form globally, appreciated for its passionate and evocative expression, both in its

ARIRANG

"Arirang" is one of the best-known traditional folk songs of South Korea, representing a symbolic and cultural hallmark of the country. The song holds deep historical and emotional significance for the Korean people. "Arirang" is used musically to express themes of longing, separation, pain, and hope, resonating with Koreans as an embodiment of their homeland and collective sentiments.The song has also been employed during Korea's independence movement and, post the Korean War, as a symbol of hope for reunification. Consequently, "Arirang" plays a vital role in providing emotional solace and fostering a sense of unity while evoking profound emotions about their homeland and history. Koreans use this song to share their feelings about their homeland, family, love, and aspirations.Furthermore, "Arirang" is considered a significant representation of Korean culture. The song serves to preserve and propagate traditional music and folklore, playing a crucial role in strengthening Korea's cultural identity and intro

HANJI

Korean Hanji, also known as Hanji or Korean traditional paper, is a unique and culturally significant material that has played a central role in Korean history, art, and craftsmanship for centuries. It is made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree (Morus alba), which is native to Korea. Hanji is renowned for its exceptional durability, texture, and versatility, and it holds a special place in Korean culture for several reasons.Historical Significance: Hanji has a long and storied history in Korea, dating back over a millennium. The paper-making tradition in Korea predates the invention of printing, and Hanji was used for a wide range of purposes, including writing, painting, calligraphy, and preserving important documents. This historical significance has made it a symbol of Korean heritage.Cultural Heritage: Hanji is deeply intertwined with Korean culture. Its production and use are closely associated with Korean traditions and customs, including the making of traditional clothing (hanbok), umbrella

2023 Elections : Executive Board Call for Candidates for the Executive Board

Dear NGO members,The Electoral Board is pleased to launch the call for candidates for the election of four members to the ICH NGO Forum Executive Board.In compliance with the Electoral Rules, the elections this year are aimed at electing members for three electoral regions(Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean, and Arab States). Because the mandate of the member representing Africa finishes this year,an election will be held on an exceptional bases for Africa for a one-year term.The Electoral Board calls all interested accredited NGOs to submit their candidature in accordance with the electoral rules and guidelines attached.Applications shall be submitted no later than October 20, 2023 (Midnight, Western European Time, UTC+1), to the members of the Electoral Board listed below, using the application form attached duly completed and including a one- or two-page curriculum vitae outlining ICH related experiences and one paragraph on Objective/Agenda/Statement of Purpose for applying for candidature.We

Dear members of the ICH NGO Forum

Dear members of the ICH NGO Forum,The Electoral Board is pleased to present the list of the eligible candidates for the 2023 elections of the Intangible Cultural Heritage NGO Forum Executive Board, for the following seats:Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean, and Arab States.Because the mandate of the member representing Africa will be finished this year, an election is held on an exceptional base to elect a member from Africa for a one-year term.We would like to thank all the candidates for their interest and participation.Candidates will be allotted a 10 minute period to present themselves and their NGOs, as well as the contribution they wish to make to the Executive Board, during a meeting scheduled with the members of the Forum on Monday 4 December between 6:00 pmand 8:00 pm in a section reserved for the NGOs located in the………(to be determined).The session will be chaired by the members of the Electoral Board.Presentations will be accessible through Zoom, recorded and made available on the Foru

Chief of the Living Heritage Entity (Culture)

UNESCO seeking to fill a vacancy position of Chief of the Living Heritage Entity (Culture)    1.    OVERVIEWPost Number: CLT 338Grade: P-5Parent Sector: Culture Sector (CLT)Duty Station: ParisJob Family: CultureType of contract: Fixed TermDuration of contract: 2 yearsRecruitment open to: Internal and external candidatesApplication Deadline (Midnight Paris Time): 29-SEP-2023 (EXTENDED)UNESCO Core Values: Commitment to the Organization, Integrity, Respect for Diversity, Professionalism • OVERVIEW OF THE FUNCTIONS OF THE POSTThe Living Heritage Entity (CLT/LHE) is responsible for the implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible CulturalHeritage. It supports efforts to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, ensures respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities,groups and individuals concerned, and raises awareness of the importance of the intangible cultural heritage. The Entity supports the governancemechanisms of the Convention, develops periodic reporting and

Zaouli - The History Of The Zaouli Dance Of Côte d'Ivoire

The Zaouli dance is a traditional mask dance from Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. It is performed by the Guro people and is an essential part of their cultural heritage. The dance features an ornate wooden mask with a highly stylized representation of a beautiful woman's face, adorned with a tall headdress and intricate detailing.Zaouli is typically performed at various social and religious ceremonies, such as weddings, funerals, and festivals. The dancer, often dressed in vibrant, flowing attire, moves with incredible grace and agility, imitating the mask's elegant features and expressions. The dance involves intricate footwork, rapid spins, and rhythmic hand claps accompanied by traditional music, including drums and percussion instruments.Zaouli is not only a form of entertainment but also a means of passing down cultural stories and preserving the Guro people's traditions. The dance has gained international recognition for its artistic beauty and cultural significance, making it an integral part of Ivorian he

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING TO ACCREDITED NGOS IN SITUATIONS OF CRISES

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING TOACCREDITED NGOS IN SITUATIONS OF CRISES(La version française suit / French version follows)The ICH NGO Forum launched a fundraising campaign last year to assist accredited ICH NGOs (ANGOs)impacted by emergency situations. A growing number of NGOs and communities are being struck by naturaldisasters, climate change (floods, cyclones, mud slides, heat waves, forest fires, drought), armed conflict(destruction of physical ICH spaces, mortality, forced migration, loss of ICH practices) and other crisis situations.It appears to be increasingly certain these situations will increase over time.Thanks to generous donors, the Forum’s Fundraising Committee is pleased to announce that it will provide twodonations of up to 500 euros each this year to ANGOs impacted by natural disasters and armed conflict to assistthem in their recovery. Accredited NGOs located in any country in the world experiencing situations of crisis areeligible to apply. The range of situations defined as emergency

CALL FOR PROPOSALS TO MARK THE TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF THE 2003 CONVENTION

Call for officers for the 2023 ICH NGO Forum Electoral Board (French version follows / La version française suit) The ICH NGO Forum has opened a call for officers to sit on the 2023 ICH NGO Forum Electoral Board. Applications must be submitted before 10 August 2023 midnight (Eastern Daylight Time, EDT). The Executive Board invites applications only from electoral regions that are not up for elections this year, that is Western Europe and North America, and Asia-Pacific. The ICH NGO Forum Electoral Board is responsible for organizing and overseeing elections for the ICH NGO Forum’s Executive Board, which take place during the annual sessions of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The next meeting, 18.COM, will be held in Kasane, Botswana from 4 to 9 of December 2023. According to the Electoral Rules adopted at the Extraordinary General Assembly of 2 November 2022: a. Candidates must not belong to the regions subject to election; b. Candidates must be propos

Call for officers for the 2023 ICH NGO Forum Electoral Board

Call for officers for the 2023 ICHNGO Forum Electoral Board(French version follows / La version française suit)The ICH NGO Forum has opened a call for officers to sit on the 2023 ICH NGO Forum Electoral Board.Applications must be submitted before 10 August 2023 midnight (Eastern Daylight Time, EDT). TheExecutive Board invites applications only from electoral regions that are not up for elections this year,that is Western Europe and North America, and Asia-Pacific.The ICH NGO Forum Electoral Board is responsible for organizing and overseeing elections for the ICHNGO Forum’s Executive Board, which take place during the annual sessions of the IntergovernmentalCommittee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The next meeting, 18.COM, will beheld in Kasane, Botswana from 4 to 9 of December 2023.According to the Electoral Rules adopted at the Extraordinary General Assembly of 2 November 2022:a. Candidates must not belong to the regions subject to election;b. Candidates must be proposed by an Accr

Le Festival Les Cultures du Monde à Gannat (03), un espace de promotion du patrimoine vivant.

Chaque été à Gannat, le Festival Les Cultures du Monde, un espace de promotion du patrimoine vivant.Depuis sa création en 1974, le Festival Les Cultures du Monde de Gannat valorise chaque été le patrimoine culturelimmatériel (PCI) en invitant différents groupes praticiens, gardiens ou détenteurs de ce patrimoine vivant.Lors de la 49ème édition du festival cette année, vous découvrirez : l’art mongol du chant Khoomei, la Calligraphie arabe, le Chamamé argentin, l'uilleann piping irlandais, la pratique de la Cabrette et le Maloya. https://www.lesculturesdumonde.org/vivez-le-festival.html

Les rencontres de Gannat 2023... un espace de célébration autour du patrimoine vivant.

En 2023, l’Association Nationale Cultures du Monde, ONG partenaire officielle de l’Unesco, offrira dans le cadre du 49 Festival Les Cultures du Monde de Gannat une place centrale à la célébration du 20e anniversaire de la Convention Unesco pour la sauvegarde du Patrimoine Culturel Immatériel (2003). Il s'agira d'un moment de dialogue pour les acteurs et les structures invitées, locales, nationales et internationales, associations et ONG, qui partagent le même objectif, la mise en œuvre de la convention.Un programme de débats, de conférences et de tables rondes auxquels participeront les différentes structures et acteurs culturels invitées parmi lesquelles :• L'Observatoire régional du Carnaval Guyanais• L’ONG TOWARA de Bénin• La Maison des cultures du monde - Centre français du patrimoine culturel immatériel (MCM-CFPCI)• L’Association Île du Monde• L’Agence des Musiques des Territoires d'Auvergne (AMTA)• Le Conseil international des organisations de festivals de folklore et d'arts traditionnels (CIOFF Interna

Discover the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)/Patrimoine Culturel Immatériel (PCI): a celebration of our living heritage!

To shed light on these cultural treasures, we are thrilled to announce the upcoming release of a captivating video series. Titled "ICH, what is it ?",“PCI, qu’es aquò ?”  This series invites you to dive into these vibrant traditions, explore heartfelt testimonials from community representatives and experts, and immerse yourself in striking illustrative imagery. Each video showcases elements of the Intangible Cultural Heritage listed on UNESCO's Representative List, as well as elements found in the ICH inventory in France. Our aim is to raise awareness among the general public about the value and significance of this living heritage, while igniting your curiosity and interest in these unique practices.The popularization videos produced as part of the "ICH, what is it ?",“PCI, qu’es aquò ?” program, videos are freely available online through social media platforms. These videos serve as awareness-raising tools to introduce cultural diversity in a simple manner and promote respect and understanding among communi

Kaustinen ICH Seminar 2023 Building peace with intangible cultural heritage – preparedness, response and recovery

Finnish Folk Music Institute in collaboration with Kaustinen Folk Music Festival organizes a seminar on building peace with intangible cultural heritage on Saturday 15th of July 2023 at 11.00–14.45 at Folk Art Centre, Kaustinen. In the seminar the role of ICH in times of emergency and armed conflict is reflected on from various viewpoints. How can heritage communities prepare for emergencies, how can living heritage be safeguarded in the midst of war and what role has safeguarding ICH in the recovery and reconciliation work on conflict devastated societies? How are regional and national identities jeopardized and used and misused in wars and social unrest?In the seminar examples of peace work in the field of ICH are presented in means of music and talks from Colombia, Ukraine, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Finland. The 2003 Convention’s work on Operational principles and modalities for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in emergencies offers the common thread to the discussions. The mission of the sem

CREATIVE TOURISM CERTIFICATION

What do architecture, visual and performing arts have in common, crafts, film, design, literature, literature, sport, games and toys, fashion, music, software, and video games? Creativity, the value generated by intellectual property and called the creative economy.In our online training, we will teach you how to identify the creative assets in your creative assets in your locality.You will learn how to draw up a detailed inventory using the UNESCO methodology. We will teach you how to identify risks and how to mitigate them.We will provide you with practical tools to create tourism experiences experiences with your local creative assets and attract more visitors. more visitors.This training is to share what's behind successful tourism and creativity successful tourism and creativity initiatives around the world, the most common obstacles, planning planning and process mistakes, as well as the good use of social media, digital marketing and of social media, digital marketing and other tools to help you to be

2023 JIAPICH Application Open for Download

Dear ICH Community,On behalf of Jeonju City, we welcome the international ICH community to apply for the 2023 Jeonju ICH award, JIAPICH (Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage). The 2023 JIAPICH is in it's 5th year and it is open to all individuals or groups that are involved in the promotion, safeguarding, and transmission of ICH around the world.The Secretariat of the JIAPICH is planning for many events for the 5th annual JIAPICH. On March 1, the 2023 JIAPICH applications are open for download on the jiapich.org website. The submission time period is from April 1 through May 31.As the JIAPICH is the only award in the world for the ICH community, Jeonju city is honored to be the guiding beacon of light for the international community. The Awards have reached a total of 70 countries and awarded 12 ICH bearers and NGOs around the world.Please visit jiapich.org for more details.Best,The Secretariat of the 2023 Jeonju ICH award (JIAPICH)

ICH NGO Forum , The 17th UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee

17COM November 27, 2022 The 17th UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee was held at the Sofitel Hotel in Rabat, Morocco, for six days from November 28 to December 3, 2022. At the entrance to the conference hall was a large flag of the Commission, which forms the Intergovernmental Committee on the Protection of Intangible Heritage. It was a valuable place to share various activities such as intangible heritage protection activities and improvement plans between countries. One of the things that gets the most attention from the Intergovernmental Committee will be the new listing of the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List. Before the committee was held, a total of 46 applications were submitted for listing on the representative list, of which 31 were recommended for listing, 14 were requested for supplementation, and one was impossible. Thirty-nine of them were registered at the committee site. Some intangible heritage sites had a tense debate.

Full programme of the ICH NGO Forum for 17COM

PROGRAMME ICH NGO Forum Activities 17COM 2022Seventeenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural HeritageSection of Ballroom, Sofitel Hotel, 450 Quartier Aviation, Rabat, MoroccoSunday, 27 November to Saturday 3 December (The schedule is indicated in Rabat time, UTC+1, same as Central European Time, CET, UTC +1)Zoom link for online participation during the entire week:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81821818235?pwd=Y0ZnUjZtRCtraVcyT2RRWTd0WWZiUT09ID of meeting : 818 2181 8235   Secret Code : 043359  Sunday, 27 November, 2022 10:00 to 11:50 AMPresentations of projects by recently accredited NGOsChairs: Tamara Nikolić Đerić, Association House of Batana (Croatia), and Sekou Berte, Mali Cultural Heritage Agency (Mali) 10:00 to 10:40 AMPaulina Adamska and Urszula Szwed, Serfenta (Poland)Susanne Verburg and Mark Schep, Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage (Netherlands)Chloé Battistolo, L’Institut national des métiers d’art français (France)Ahmet Akcan and Sona T

Traditonal Korean Performance captured through immersive digital content- Jeokbyeokga by Yun Jin-cheol

This service is the result of a collaboration between the Center for Intangible Culture Studies (CICS) and Korea Electronics Technology Institue (KETI) to carry out <3D performances of traditional Korean heritage performances and development of XR service platform technology>. This project is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea. The research aims to provide immersive content for traditional performances through high-quality digital data archiving, based on performances in the field, creating 3D performance and XR service platform technology development for the preservation of the original form of traditional performances and the creation of new non-face-to-face inventory services. The key elements of this research are 1) multi-sensor-based high-quality 3D data acquisition device for performers, 2) AI-based performance site high-quality 3D performance generation system, 3) digital archiving-based interactive XR service platform, which digitizes all performance elements of tr

The seventeenth session (17COM) of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

The seventeenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat (Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses) from 28 November to 3 December 2022.H.E. Mr Samir Addahre, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the Kingdom of Morocco to UNESCO, will chair this annual gathering which will be attended by representatives of States Parties, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions and other stakeholders from across the globe. Participants are invited to register as soon as possible and in any case before 14 November 2022.General information for this session will be published on this webpage. An information and exchange meeting was held on 4 October 2022 at UNESCO Headquarters.The working documents of the meeting will be published on this webpage by 31 October 2022.https://ich.unesco.org/en/17com

Launch of a Fund to Assist Intangible Cultural Heritage NGOs and Communities in Situations of Crises

Launch of a Fund to Assist Intangible Cultural Heritage NGOs and Communities in Situations of Crises Please click on this link to donate: <a href="https://gofund.me/431b7e64">https://gofund.me/431b7e64</a> The ICH NGO Forum is the membership organization of NGOs that are accredited to UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage. It operates, among other things, as a networking organization among NGOs most of whom operate on the ground working with local communities that are the bearers of this heritage and for whom it is often essential for their livelihoods and resilience. The Forum is launching this fundraising campaign to assist accredited ICH NGOs and communities in emergency situations. A growing number of NGOs and communities are being impacted by climate change (floods, cyclones, mud slides, heat waves, forest fires, drought) and armed conflict (destruction of physical ICH spaces, mortality, forced migration, loss of ICH practices), the two being

Seventeenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

The seventeenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will be hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco in Rabat (Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses) from 28 November to 3 December 2022. H.E. Mr Samir Addahre, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the Kingdom of Morocco to UNESCO, will chair this annual gathering which will be attended by representatives of States Parties, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions and other stakeholders from across the globe. Participants are invited to register as soon as possible and in any case before 14 November 2022. General information for this session will be published on this webpage. An information and exchange meeting was held on 4 October 2022 at UNESCO Headquarters. The working documents of the meeting will be published on this webpage by 31 October 2022.

The 2022 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (2022 JIAPICH)

As planned this year, the 2022 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (2022 JIAPICH) went successfully. The 2022 JIAPICH Award Ceremony, organized by the Center for Intangible Culture Studies (CICS), ended successfully on October 19. The winners were the Ms Anka Raik from Bosnia Herzegovina, The Ifugao Museum in the Philippines and The Serfenta Association in Poland. The Winners, intangible heritage Experts, and the general public gathered together at the Korean National Center for Intangible Heritage in Jeonju to share the value of intangible heritage. The video of the award ceremony will be uploaded to the YouTube channel Intangible Cultural Research Institute. https://www.youtube.com/c/CICSinKorea/featured

ICH NGO FORUM - Newsletter

The ICH NGO Forum has the pleasure to announce that the Newsletter is now back with the publication of the first edition of 2022. The Forum remains committed to strengthening the active and meaningful participation of NGOs in the implementation of the 2003 Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage. Likewise, the Forum would like to inform its membership organizations that the Newsletter is now open to welcome news on shared mutual experiences, key updates that speak to the sustainable founding mission of our Forum. (Sekou Berte, Communication Officier, Steering Committee of the ICH NGO Forum)

Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage 9th General Assembly of States Parties ICH NGO Forum - Seminar 2022 Good Safeguarding Practices for Human Security

Over the past year, the ICH NGO Forum has mapped the expertise and safeguarding practices of 85 accredited NGOs across all regions of the world. Speakers at this side event will discuss how they employ ICH to mediate conflicts, build community resilience in crises, mitigate impacts of climate change, support economic wellbeing, improve the lives of women and girls, safety and integration of displaced persons, ensure food security through traditional agricultural practices and help to create a healthy and sustainable environmentProgramme Chair Laurier Turgeon, Folklore Studies Association of Canada, Chair of the ICH NGO Forum Steering Committee Women’s Activities in Maintaining Sustainable Agricultural Practices: The Geochang Cooperatives Hwang Eui Dong, Center for Intangible Culture Studies (CICS), South Korea Traditional Wisdom in Everyday Life : Supporting Social Transformation Cholponai Usbalieva-Gryshchuk, Aigine Cultural Research Center, Kyrgyzstan Intangible Cultural Heritage in Armed Conflict and Post-

« Good Safeguarding Practices for Human Security », to be held on July 5th from 1 :00 to 3 :00 PM on site at the UNESCO headquarters, room 6

Dear Accredited NGOs and Delegates / Chères ONG accréditées et Délégués, You are cordially invited to the seminar on « Good Safeguarding Practices for Human Security », to be held on July 5th from 1 :00 to 3 :00 PM on site at the UNESCO headquarters, room 6, (cold buffet served on site) organized by the ICH NGO Forum during the 9th session of the General Assembly of the State Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, UNESCO Headquarters, 7 Place de Fontenoy, 75007 Paris, 5 to 7 July 2022. - Because room 6 cannot accommodate more that 57 people, advanced registration is requested by sending an email to Laurier.Turgeon@hst.ulaval.ca and to rbtbaron@gmail.com as soon as possible and no latter than Sunday 18h00 Paris time. Places will be attributed on a first come first serve bases.  Vous êtes cordialement invités à participer au séminaire sur « Les bonnes pratiques de sauvegarde pour la sécurité humaine », le 5 juillet de 13h00 à 15h00 qui se tiendra dans la salle 6 (buffet

Gbofe of Afounkaha, the music of the transverse trumps of the Tagbana community, a cultural heritage in need of safeguarding

Gbofe of Afounkaha holds deep cultural and social significance in Cote d'Ivoire. It serves as a powerful medium for communication, conveying messages of praise, love, satire, mourning, and moral or educational teachings during various rituals and traditional ceremonies. Gbofe plays a vital role in conferring respect for the holders of tradition, fostering cultural unity, peace, and social cohesion among different communities and people. Additionally, it represents a crucial part of the cultural identity of the Tagbana community, preserving their historical narratives, values, and artistic expressions across generations.

Zaouli, cultural heritage of Côte d’Ivoire

The Zaouli dance of Côte d'Ivoire holds deep cultural and social significance, symbolizing various meanings and serving important roles within Ivorian communities. Its meanings and importance can be summarized as follows:Cultural Identity and Heritage: The Zaouli dance embodies the cultural identity and heritage of the communities in Côte d'Ivoire, reflecting their traditional values, beliefs, and practices. It serves as a powerful symbol of the region's rich cultural legacy, connecting the present generation with its historical and traditional roots.Celebration of Femininity and Beauty: The dance is often associated with the celebration of feminine beauty and grace, as it is performed by individuals adorned in elaborate masks and costumes representing idealized concepts of beauty. Through its intricate movements and rhythmic expressions, the Zaouli dance honors the beauty and elegance of women, portraying them as central figures in Ivorian culture.Social Cohesion and Unity: The Zaouli dance fosters social co

Resources for Scholars in Danger (Ukraine)

The American Folklore Society (AFS) has been working with member Iryna Voloshyna to assist colleagues in Ukraine who request cloud storage for backups of field research materials. We presently have over 50 individuals in Ukraine connected to a secure folder within a dedicated storage drive for this work. We've been working this week to expand our capacity for storage and security needs by working with a group of partners on this effort. If you have colleagues in Ukraine who need our support, they can reach out to us on this page: https://americanfolkloresociety.org/afs-condemns-the-war-in-ukraine-and-stands-with-all-who-oppose-this-violence/.On the page listed above are ways individuals can get involved, including donating money to relief orgs and working with host institutions to house refugees. Scholars at Risk is actively seeking host organizations for scholar placement. https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/get-involved-institutions/Some of our partners in our fieldwork backup storage work are at the Ukrainian A

ONLINE EVENT: Apply to the Fund of the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of the ICH / ÉVÉNEMENT EN LIGNE : Faire une demande au Fonds de la Convention de 2003 pour la sauvegarde du PCI

The Living Heritage Entity presents the online event ‘Apply to the Fund of the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage’ which will take place in March 2022.  Three information sessions are organized to present the International Assistance mechanism of the 2003 Convention, the modalities and the process of application. In addition, the Toolkit for requesting International Assistance from the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will be presented. This guideline introduces key concepts of the Convention, the criteria for receiving funding and how to plan and monitor projects.To participate, please register for one of the following sessions:·       22 March 2022 from 9:00 to 11:00 (Paris time): Presentation of international assistance for the Asia and Pacific region. Interpretation will be available in French and English. Link to register: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUpde6oqDgjE92Xb9pumsRLX-wb9reH4DHK·       24 March 2022 from

The Fellows of the American Folklore Society webinar, “Interrogating the Normal: Folkloristic Engagements with Disability,”

Folklore and Disability Webinar - March 15th The Fellows of the American Folklore Society will present a webinar, “Interrogating the Normal: Folkloristic Engagements with Disability,” on March 25, 2022, 12:00–2:00 pm EDT. This free webinar is the first in a series of three webinars on the topic of “Interrogating the Normal” and is part of a continuation of the Folklore Talks webinars presented by the AFS Fellows.Folklore opens new vistas for understanding what counts as normal. Studies of disability by folklorists are especially provocative for their critiques of ableism, challenging concepts of cultural competence.Phyllis May-Machunda (Professor Emerita of American Multicultural Studies at Minnesota State University Moorhead) will discuss her experiences as a parent of a child with a disability/illness through the lens of a folklorist and will consider intersections among folklore and disability.Nora Groce (the Cheshire Chair at University College London (UCL)) will consider folklore and disability as import

2022 JIAPICH Application Open for Download

Dear ICH Community, The secretariat of Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH) welcomes the international ICH community to join the 4th annual Jeonju ICH Awards.  The awards are open to Living Human Treasures (practitioners), groups, communities, administrators, researchers, NGOs and those who have made substantial contributions for promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage. 2022 JIAPICH Plaque(s) & $30,000 USD will be prized to the JIAPICH Finalist(s). The 2022 Jeonju Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage application is open for download at the jiapaich.org website starting February 1.  Important Dates:February 1, 2022: Open to download 2022 JIAPICH applicationMarch 1, 2022: Start of the application submissionMay 31, 2022: Submission due date for the applicationAugust 1, 2022: The 2022 JIAPICH Finalists AnnouncedSeptember (dates TBD): The 2022 JIAPICH Awards Ceremony / Zoom ICH Festival Please visit: www.jiapich.org for more information. ---------------------

Publication of the Evaluation of UNESCO’s Action in the framework of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

This second evaluation focussing on the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereafter the 2003 Convention) marks the first follow-up exercise to the cycle of Internal Oversight Service evaluations of UNESCO’s six culture conventions. The main purpose of this 2021 evaluation was to generate findings, lessons learned, and recommendations regarding the relevance and effectiveness of UNESCO’s action in the framework of the 2003 Convention.As the second youngest UNESCO Culture Convention, the 2003 Convention has been one of the most successful, not only because it has reached nearly universal ratification only fifteen years after entering into force, but especially because it has succeeded in raising awareness of the distinct nature and importance of intangible cultural heritage. Stakeholders attribute this achievement largely to the Convention’s Representative List as well as to UNESCO’s vast capacity building programme.At the same time, the 2003 Co

CICS Interview Series

The Center for Intangible Culture Studies in Korea's YouTube channel provides contents that are both educational and inspiring to those in the field of heritage studies. The CICS Interview Series was started in 2021 with the idea around recording ICH experts around the world that can be informative to those in research, academia, and with interest in the field of ICH. The latest interviewee is Professor Laurier Turgeon of Lavar University in Quebec, Canada, who is also the president of the steering committee of the 2022 ICH NGO Forum. Check out the interview through YouTube link below! CICS Interview Series: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHx4_DBXCKo&t=1574s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHx4_DBXCKo&t=1574s</a>

The Composition of the new Steering Committee for 2021-2022

Executive positions of the Steering Committee for 2021-2022(from top left to bottow right in the photo):Mr. Martín Andrade- Pérez, Mr. Laurier Turgeon, Mr. Sekou Berte, Mr. Mohammed Mohamed Lemine Beidieu,  Ms. Janet Blake,  Mr. Robert Baron, and Ms. Tamara Nikolic Deric (on the separate photo). Laurier Turgeon, - President Janet Blake – Vice President Robert Baron – Secretary Martín Andrade- Pérez - Treasurer.  Steering Committee 2020 - 2021 Western Europe and North America: Mr. Laurier Turgeon - Folklore Studies Association of Canada (Canada) - President Eastern Europe: Ms. Tamara Nikolic Deric – Association House of Batana (Croatia) Latin America and the Caribbean: Mr. Martín Andrade- Pérez- Erigaie Foundation (Colombia) - Treasurer Asia and the Pacific: Ms. Janet Blake – Persian Garden Institute for Living Heritage - (Islamic Republic of Iran) – Vice President Africa:  Mr. Sekou Berte - Mali Cultural Heritage Agency (Mali) -- Responsable for CommunicationsArab States:  Mr. Mohammed Mohamed Lemine Beidieu

The results of the third call for Arab States, Eastern Europe and Latin America

The voting for ICH NGO Forum Steering Committee Elections will be held online on December 14 2021 and December 15 until noon Paris time (GMT+1:00).A voting link will be sent to one designated email for each accredited NGO.Please click here to fill up the designated email id for your NGO  using an online form. Please complete this before December 13, 2021 08:00 PM Paris time (GMT+ 1:00) Only NGOs who submit email id through this form will get a voting link.The presentation of the candidates for the elections will be held Monday 13 December online at 17h30-19h30 Paris time (GMT+1:00)Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89211424568?pwd=bGI1NWlkSEIzcnBxWVBPeUw5Wm40dz09Meeting ID: 892 1142 4568Passcode: 584051The candidates elected will be announced on Wednesday 15 December during the General Assembly of the ICH NGO Forum, at 17h30-19h30 Paris time (GMT+1:00)Link: https://unesco-org.zoom.us/j/98667893587Passcode: 536809List of candidates and application files:Africa (Group V a):- M. Sekou Berte, Mali Cultural Heritage

2021 Jeonju ICH Awards

Watch the 2021 Jeonju ICH Awards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aLNij99bBI&t=1320s Watch the 2021 Jeonju ICH Zoom Festival:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7lM8VCY4zU&t=289s

2003 Convention: 16.COM Information on registration and election / 16.COM Informations sur les enregistrements et elections

Following my previous message on 3 December last regarding the fully online meeting modality of the upcoming sixteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (13–18 December 2021), I would like to provide further information on the following three aspects:1.          Registration for the 16.COM Information and exchange session (10 December 2021)2.          Registration for the 16.COM (13 to 18 December 2021)3.          Voting by secret ballotShould you have queries, please contact the Secretariat at ichmeetings@unesco.org.Yours sincerely,Tim CurtisSecretary, Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage1.          Registration for the 16.COM Information and exchange session (10 December 2021 - 2.00 to 3.00 p.m., Paris time)An Information and exchange session will be held through the Zoom platform on Friday, 10 December 2021 from 2.00 to 3.00 p.m (Paris time). The purpose of the meeting will be to introduce, in the presence of t

Survey on Article 21

Please visit the mentioned site below for the Survey on Article 21:--- English version below ----Chers représentants des ONG accréditées auprès de la Convention de 2003,Nous, membres du groupe de travail ad hoc sur l'article 21 de la section IV des statuts du Forum des ONG du PCI, aimerions vous présenter ci-dessous un bref questionnaire complété par des informations générales pour votre lecture.Lien vers le questionnaire en français : https://forms.gle/XnhPD6dpmHztqVXh8Merci beaucoup pour votre collaboration !---------------------------------------------Dear Representatives of the accredited NGOs to the 2003 Convention,We, members of the Ad hoc working group on Article 21 of Section IV of the ICH NGO Forum Bylaws, would like to present a short questionnaire supplemented by background information for your perusal below.Link to questionnaire in English: https://forms.gle/Pz6DNgqmZroWvHnN9Thank you very much for your collaboration.

Editorial Board Meeting #HeritageAlive Chaired by Eivind Falk (Norwegian Crafts Institute)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89211424568?pwd=bGI1NWlkSEIzcnBxWVBPeUw5Wm40dz09  Meeting ID: 892 1142 4568 Passcode: 584051 (All times indicated are Paris time (GMT+1:00)  Tuesday 14 December   13h15-14h15 #HeritageAlive Meeting Chaired by Eivind Falk (Norwegian Crafts Institute)

PROGRAMME FOR THE ICH NGO FORUM (16COM 2021)

All meetings will be held online. Please find attached the final programme of the ICH NGO Forum activities during the week of the 12th to the 18th of December.PROGRAMME FOR THE ICH NGO FORUM (16COM 2021) The ICH NGO FORUM meetings during 16COM will all be held online.Participants may access the meetings online at their convenience throughout the week by clicking on this Zoom link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89211424568?pwd=bGI1NWlkSEIzcnBxWVBPeUw5Wm40dz09 Meeting ID: 892 1142 4568Passcode: 584051(All times indicated are Paris time (GMT+1:00) Saturday 4 December 13h30-18h00Online workshop to present an overview of the 2003 Convention, the role of NGOs, the ICH NGO Forum and the programme and participation at 16COM.The workshop is especially geared to respond to the needs and questions of the newly accredited NGOs, but we welcome all NGOs interested in keeping up with recent developments and wanting first-hand information to better prepare for 16COM.French language session: 13h30-15h00 (Paris time) (Led by Laurie

PROGRAMME FOR THE ICH NGO FORUM (16COM 2021)

Dear ICH NGO Forum members, We are writing to inform you that all of the ICH NGO Forum meetings will be held online. The Secretariat of the ICH Convention advised us yesterday of this decision. We are currently revising the programme of activities to adapt it to this new situation. Please be advised that we will maintain all of the planned activities (symposium on Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 PM Paris time, Monday evening election speeches, AGA on Wednesday, and working group meetings during the week). The only difference is that the time slots may change slightly in order to adapt to the changes in the ICG meeting schedule, which should be sent to us tomorrow. We aim to send you the revised final programme of the ICH NGO Forum meetings as soon as possible, hopefully tomorrow, Friday 3 December. We thank you for your patience and understanding in these challenging times. The Steering CommitteeICH NGO Forum

[ASK-Y] Session 4: Why Can't We Understand Each Other?

November 22, 2021 — Following our previous session, "Why is the Earth Sick? | The New Disruptors: Climate and Environment," Asia Society Korea invites you to the fourth session of our Asia Society Korea Youth (ASK-Y) program on culture, entertainment, and media. Asia Society Korea Executive Director Yvonne Kim invites Bernie Cho, President of DFSB Kollective, Dr. Amareswar Galla, UNESCO Chair on Inclusive Museums and Sustainable Heritage Development at Anant University, and Shinwha Hong, Researcher at the Center for Intangible Culture Studies (CICS), to discuss culture as a moderating lens for relating to society and the world, and our behavior as individuals and nation-states. Through the lived experiences of global emerging leaders and experts across the cultural heritage and the entertainment industry, we explore the importance of cultural awareness on both micro and macro scales. The ASK-Y session will spotlight the unique role of youth as bridge builders for cultural exchanges and the importance of deep

Call for Candidates for the Steering Committee Only for accredited NGOs

Call for Candidates for the Steering Committee Only for accredited NGOs (French version follows / La version française suit) Dear NGO members, The Electoral Board is pleased to launch the call for candidates for the ICH NGO Forum Steering Committee. The four newly elected members shall represent the regions of Eastern Europe, Africa, Arab States, Latin America and Caribbean. The Electoral Board calls interested accredited NGOs to submit their candidature in accordance with the electoral rules and guidelines attached. Applications shall be submitted no later than November 5, 2021 (Midnight, Eastern Daylight Time), to the members of the Electoral Board listed below, using the application form attached duly completed and including a one or two page curriculum vitae outlining ICH related experiences and one paragraph on Objective/Agenda/Statement of Purpose for applying for candidature. The election will take place online using online voting application on December 13 and December 14, 2021. The results will be an

2019 JIAPICH Finalist- Contact Base of India

Secretary: Ananya Bhattacharya (Ms) Country: India NGO Region: Asia & the Pacific Main Domain: Traditional art, craft skills / revitalize ICH as a shared resource for community based creative enterprise. Art for Life (AFL) Contacts Address: 188/89, Prince Anwar Shah Road, Kolkata – 700045, India E-mail: ananya@banglanatak.com Website: www.banglanatak.com Tel: +91 9830173382 * About Contact Base Contact Base is a not for profit working under the trading style of banglanatak dot com. The organization was set up by social entrepreneurs working for inclusive and pro-poor development. Owing to rapid changes in lifestyle, much of our intangible cultural heritage is getting lost owing to lack of audience. The skills in art and craft, traditional knowledge on nature are not recognized as employable skills in conventional developmental paradigm. It was realized that loss of opportunity to perform and practice was resulting in loss of skills and the tradition bearers were becoming daily wage earners, triggering a vicio

2020 JIAPICH Finalist- NGO Impacto of Mexico

NGO Impacto was created in order to reduce poverty and inequality in Mexico beginning with the state of Chiapas. The main focus is to increase incomes for people living in the communities of the Highlands of Chiapas. NGO Impacto work in economic sectors that are relevant to the local economy, as well as in priority areas like education, gender equity and social communication, in order to improve quality of life of the people living in these communities. Impacto creates the links between those who produce the goods and conscientious consumers, thus generating sustainable development in the state of Chiapas. The main objective of our Textile Program is to promote the integral development of the Mayan women artisans. To do this, we have a team specialized in different areas that facilitates human development, technical production and business development. IMPACTO is educating, creating awareness, and promoting the protection of intangible heritage of Mayan communities in Mexico. They are leading protocols that m

2020 JIAPICH Finalist- Mr. Hieu Duc Vu, Director of Muong Cultural Space Museum of Vietnam

The Muong people is one of among 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam living in the mountains with a population of over one million people. With Mr. Vu's interest in the Muong culture, he founded the first private in Vietnam called Museum of Muong Cultural Space in 2007 in Hoa Binh province. The process of developing museum halls and exhibitions, and deploying the activities, Mr. Vu collaborated with representatives of the Muong practitioners to revitalize their intangible cultural elements and support their practices and performances. i) Mr. Vu created and developed this museum in close collaboration with the Muong people. He thus communicated with diverse agents such as Muong community people, experts, artists, NGOs, local and central government authorities. The funding resources for the creation and development of the museum come from his personal resources gained from the sales of his artistic works. ii) Mr. Vu’s principal objective in his activities of the museum has been to ensure the viability of the traditiona

2020 JIAPICH Finalist- ASAMA of Burkina Faso

Brief about ASAMA ASAMA is a non-profit association with a pan-African vocation. ASAMA was originally created in 1995 by a group of students convinced and concerned about the future of masks threatened by the numerous vices and excesses of modern society (neglect, abandonment, etc.) and wishing to support the societies of traditional masks in order to safeguard this heritage in danger. It was legally recognized as a non-profit organization by the Government of Burkina Faso in 1996. Its primary mandate is ① to promote research and assist in the safeguarding, promotion and preservation of African mask traditions, ② to urge and facilitate the cooperation between governments, national and international organizations and individuals interested in the preservation of traditional masks and mask performances, and ③ to drive governments to develop preservation policies of their mask traditions and fight against the looting of the cultural resources. ASAMA is led by two councils which are the ‘Board of the Fund for the

Announcement of the 2021 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage

Announcement of the 2021 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage We express our sincere gratitude to all applicants for the 2021 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage. We recognize and deeply appreciate what you and your organizations have achieved with respect to the safeguarding and revitalization of ICH. The selection process was very challenging as all applicants demonstrated good practices for the safeguarding ICH with courage and lofty spirit. Only three applicants (individuals and organizations) were selected as finalists from 44 applicants from 29 countries on six continents. Jeonju City announces the following three finalist candidates for public verification as the final process for the 2021 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage. The finalist candidates are as follows: - Mr. Dil Kumar Barahai: Naya of Barahi Da Guthi (Individual: Nepal: Asia-Pacific Region) - El Fèlze (Organization: Italy: Europe-N

Digital ICH Observatory

The Digital ICH Observatory aims to produce: organise and analyse information about e-Inventories of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). A network to share knowledge and practices about ICH that is on the web. ICH meetings: Global reflection on the ICH listing mechanism July 8-10: 2021 Digital Meetings: Leading the Digital Decade June 1-2: 2021 Digital Heritage Conference: CIDOC 2021: tradition and digital technology September 6-10: 2021 ICH and Memory Call: Call 2021/ MEMORIAMEDIA Review is indexed in ERIH PLUS - the European Reference Index for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Click on the link to find out more: https://mailchi.mp/3e937d570673/digital-ich-observatory-newsletter-13743231

Singapore Hawker Culture: A Webinar Series Hawker Culture and Social Spaces in Singapore

Hawker Culture reflects a living heritage that resonates with people from all walks of life in Singapore. In celebration of the successful inscription of Hawker Culture onto the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage: the National Heritage Board will be organizing a webinar series on Hawker Culture. This second and final session of the Webinar series explores the relationships between Hawker culture and Social Spaces in Singapore: and how they can play a role in promoting community identity and fostering inter-cultural understanding and appreciation in Singapore's context. Please click on the poster to join the Zoom conference through QR code.

JIAPICH Finalist Colloquium

Dear ICH community: On behlaf of Jeonju City: we are inviting the ICH community to join us for the Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH) Finalist Colloquium. For the the continued growth of the JIAPICH: the Jeonju City invited previous finalists to engage in dialogue with ICH experts and bearers. The JIAPICH Colloquium is scheduled to be held on May 13th: 11 PM Korean Time (GMT+9). For more information please contact cics.center@gmail.com Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88595280717 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9lAfs9ABS5c08BeoUWb34w Best regards: 2021 JIAPICH Secretariat

INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE for Sustainable Management of HISTORIC TOWNS in South Asia: Theory to Practice

ICOMOS India is orgaising an e-SYMPOSIUM on INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE for Sustainable Management of HISTORIC TOWNS in South Asia: Theory to Practice. Spaced across 5 events from May-July2021: experts and emerging professionals from Bangladesh: Bhutan: India: Nepal: Pakistan and Sri Lanka will exchange knowledge and practices. For more details: you may see the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr3tIY76JQA. Please register in advance for this webinar series/event: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkcuusqTwvE9GcAUZWGeuE-zrSFgVvGbCz

National Level Seven Hills dance festival

NAMASTHE ;- OUR CULTURAL ORGANISATION SRI SAI NATYANJALI FINE ARTS DEVELOPENNT ASSOCIATION ORGANISED INDIAN ALL TRADITIONAL DANCE: CULTURAL PROGRAMMES LIKE kUCHIPUDI: BHARATANATYAM :MANIPURI: KATHAKKALI: KATHAK:ODISSI: FOLK ETC: NOW WE PLANNINMG NATIONAL LEVEL SEVEN HILLS DANCE FESTIVAL FAMOUS TEMPLE OF LORD SRI VENKATESWARA SWAMY AT THIRUPATHI : CHITTOR DIST OF ANDHRAPRADESH: INDIA: DATES : 26-27 JUNE 2021 History & Legends Associated with the THIRUMALA Temple There are many legends associated with the origin of this age-old temple. The larger than life statue of the main deity is said to have formed on its own: making it one of the eight ‘Swayambhu Kshetras’ (self-manifested image) of Lord Vishnu. Many ancient texts: including the Rig Veda mention the existence and prominence of the temple. Written texts: which are dated back to the Mauryan and Gupta era: refer the temple as ‘Aadhi Varaha Kshetra’. In fact: many other texts and theories link the history of Tirupati Temple to Lord Varaha: one of the t

Art of crafting and playing Mbira/Sansi, the finger-plucking traditional musical instrument in Malawi and Zimbabwe

The Mbira/Sansi instrument are a family of musical instruments, traditional to the people of Zimbabwe. They consist of a wooden board (often fitted with a resonator) with attached staggered metal tines, played by holding the instrument in the hands and plucking the tines with the thumbs (at minimum), the right forefinger (most mbira), and sometimes the left forefinger. Musicologists classify it as a lamellaphone, part of the plucked idiophone family of musical instruments. The "Art of crafting and playing Mbira/Sansi, the finger-plucking traditional musical instrument in Malawi and Zimbabwe" was added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020. The transmission has occurred through apprenticeship within the family circle. Currently, transmission also takes place through formal coaching, and Mbira/Sansi making and playing is taught in some schools. The songs contain important messages, with some guarding children against bad behavior while others condemn negative

Khaen music of the Lao people

Khaen music of the Lao is played through a mouth organ whose pipes, often made out of hollowed out bamboo and put together to be blown to make sound. The mouthpiece where the air is blown by the player acts as a free reed creating audible vibrations that are perceived by the listener. The player also uses his or her fingers to guide the Nup holes that allow for different sounds to be derived. Khaen music is popular in all regions of Lao and is an integral part of village festivals and can be found played in traditional customary practices of the Lao people. Traditionally, Khaen of Lao is transmitted within families and local communities where the Khaen player learns about the musical instrument. To allow for the proliferation of Khaen, several local communities, associations and groups have various initiatives to promote it through formal and non-formal education. Khaen music of the Lao people was inscribed to the UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Register of good safeguarding practices in 2017.

Announcement of the 3rd annual Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible cultural Heritage (JIAPICH)

Friends of the International ICH community: Greetings: the third annual Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (JIAPICH) has been elaborately prepared and the long-awaited awards ceremony will be held in September 2021. Application forms for both the individual and organization will be open to download at Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (jiapich.org) starting on February 1st: 2021. All applications are to be submitted from March 1st through April 30th: 2021. The prize pool is $30:000 USD and will be distributed among 1~5 teams. There are no costs to the application process. The previous year 2020 JIAPICH had gained positive feedback from our ICH community around the world. Thirty-nine applicants from 27 different countries applied for the awards. Out of the 39 applicants: there were 11 individual and 28 group applications. The 2020 JIAPICH ceremonies were held online: streamed through YouTube: CICS in Korea and the Jeonju City Homepage:

Ripples Festival

In the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development: banglanatak dot com in association with British Council presents Ripples Festival - a celebration of intangible cultural heritage from January 15th - 17th: 2021. The festival aims to promote heritage education and cultural tourism.The festival also has an online component with webinars: live performances and demonstration of crafts from 4 pm to 5:30 pm (IST) and 10:30 am to 12 pm (GMT). The schedule is as follows: 15th January: 2021: Heritage and Festival – exploring the interlinkages of heritage: tourism and festival16th January: 2021: Heritage and Creative Economy - discussing the role of cultural industries in sustainable development17th January: 2021: Heritage and Resilience – reflecting on the rejuvenation of the creative sector in new normalFor registration visit the link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwsd-GopjgqE9TjIHEzvdu98z_W-7HRvm3e. The webinar will be streamed live in banglanatakdotcom facebook page.

Reggae groove kicks off 15th Intangible Heritage Committee session online

The warmth of reggae marked the opening on 14 December of the 15th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: chaired by H.E. Ms Olivia Grange: Minister of Culture: Gender: Entertainment and Sport of Jamaica.More than 800 online participants in nearly 140 countries are registered to attend six online sessions chaired from Jamaica with the support of UNESCO’s Secretariat in Paris.During the opening: UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azouley stressed that “intangible heritage is indeed a powerful way of healing the wounds in our societies. This is true for tears in the social fabric; it is also true for the fracture between humanity and nature. (…). Intangible heritage is also a resource that can be used to rise above political disputes: acknowledging the ties between people.” Ms Azoulay ended her address “Because respecting heritage is not only about protecting it; it is also about making it known to future generations. This means ensuring that young peopl

Ala-kiyiz and Shyrdak, art of Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets

Inscribed in 2012 (7.COM) on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding Traditional felt carpets are one of the foremost arts of the Kyrgyz people and an integral part of their cultural heritage. The Kyrgyz traditionally produce two types of felt carpets: Ala-kiyiz and Shyrdaks. Knowledge, skills, diversity, the semantics of ornamentation, and the ceremonies of creating carpets are all important cultural components, providing Kyrgyz people with a sense of identity and continuity. The making of Kyrgyz felt carpets is inseparably linked to the everyday life of nomads, who used felt carpets to warm and decorate their homes. Creation of felt carpets demands unity among the community and fosters the transmission of traditional knowledge – as a rule by older women who are normally concentrated in rural and mountainous areas, to younger women within the family. The Ala-kiyiz and Shyrdak traditional art is in danger of disappearing, however. The number of practitioners is diminishing, wit

Program of activities of the ICH NGO Forum connected to 15.COM on 2-19, December-Including Mini Symposium on ICH and Tourism on 13 December

Program of activities of the ICH NGO Forum connected to 15.COM(Welcome to participate in ICH NGO Forum’s program of activities connected to 15 COM.)* Find the file attached (Program ICH NGO Forum 15 COM)■ ICH & tourism during and after COVID-19 ■Making ICH tourism more sustainable and regenerative in post-pandemic situationsICH-NGO Forum ZOOM Webinar Sunday 13 December 1.30-3.00 pm This symposium will have interpretations service in English-French. During the Intergovernmental Committee Meeting in Bogota it was decided that the ICH-NGO Forum should organize a symposium on ICH & Tourism: a hotly debated topic during the sessions especially in connection with international nominations for the safeguarding lists: in which tourism is included as one of the safeguarding measures. In reports of the Evaluation Body: the danger of ‘over commercialization’ is often mentioned as one of the threats. All the same tourism – and especially sustainable tourism – is often mentioned as indispensable for developing countries:

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC), 3 November 2020 (13th meeting)

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC): 3 November 2020 (13th meeting)Current issues◼ ICH NGO Conference co-organized by ICHCAP and ICH NGO ForumSakr informed the committee about the ongoing preparation of the conference. Janet Blake accepted to serve as one of moderators. There is a problem to get in touch with an OECD representative from Latin America; Caicedo expects his response by tomorrow. A representative from Amagugu International Heritage Centre should send her full application; Nyathi will mediate concerning this request. The committee agreed that Nömgård would greet the participants at the beginning of the conference. She will also invite Tim Curtis to address the conference participants: and Sakr will provide her with background information. An updated version of the material of the conference has just been published by ICHCAP: and these days it will also be published on our website and through social media; Sakr will contact Desiderio in this regard.◼ Next Newsletter of the ForumThis

The Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention to be held fully ONLINE, from 14 to 19 December 2020

The Intergovernmental Committee of the 2003 Convention to be held fully online: from 14 to 19 December 2020After broad consultations: the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has decided to continue with the organization of the 15th session of the Committee from 14 to 19 December. However: for the first time the session will take place online due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and related travel restrictions.H.E. Ms Olivia Grange: Minister of Culture: Gender: Entertainment and Sport of Jamaica will conduct the debates during six days between 13:30 and 16:30 (Paris time). The session will keep to a restricted agenda that focuses on listing mechanisms (2020 inscriptions: number of files to be examined in the coming years: establishment of the Evaluation Body for the 2021 cycle): the examination of periodic reports of Urgent Safeguarding List elements: and the date and venue for the 16th session of the Committee. See the working documents inc

2020 ICH NGO Conference to be held on 12-13 November

Safeguarding ICH through resilienceICHCAP and the ICH NGO Forum will hold the online 2020 ICH NGO Conference from 12 to 13 November.Since 2016: the 1st Asia-Pacific NGO Conference held in Jeonju: Korea: has continued biennially. This year: participants will discuss themes involving ‘ICH and Resilience in Crisis’. The conference will facilitate the sharing of experiences by NGOs: B.C. (Before Corona) and A.C. (After Corona) and explore a future direction for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage. Representatives of eleven organizations in the ICH-safeguarding field from ten countries will attend the conference: selected through an application process.A special lecture scheduled for the first day will introduce the topic of Resilience System Analysis: sharing implications of the OECD’s efforts to quantify the qualitative concept of resilience after disasters. Online sessions will also deal with the international discourse on the 2003 Convention in the era of Corona: as well as presentations and discussions

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC), 14 October 2020 (12th meeting)

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC): 14 October 2020 (12th meeting)Current issues◼ ICH NGO Conference co-organized by ICHCAP and ICH NGO ForumSakr reported about the ongoing preparation of the conference. Caicedo helped her to establish contact with an OECD representative who will be one of keynote speakers. Sakr suggested to the Steering Committee: and members accepted: to invite Matti Hakamäki to present the objectives of the Forum’s working group in-the-making on geographical imbalance of accredited NGOs: as well as to invite additional participants representing African perspectives on ICH and resilience in crisis: such as Nyathi. Nyathi accepted the invitation; he will prepare presentation about indigenous system of knowledge in reference to COVID-19: while Sakr will contact Hakamäki regarding his participation.◼ Next Newsletter of the ForumOnce again: the members of the Steering Committee confirmed for the next Newsletter to be prepared and published before 15.COM. It will include outcome

Webinar on “Crafting Resilience: Craft Communities and their Resilience as Embedded in the Traditional Knowledge: A Critical Component of Intangible Cultural Heritage” organized by ICOMOS India and NSC-Intangible Cultural Heritage

Happy to share about the upcoming webinar “Crafting Resilience: Craft communities and their resilience as embedded in the traditional knowledge: A critical component of intangible cultural heritage” organized by ICOMOS India and NSC-Intangible Cultural Heritage as a part of ICOMOS International webinar series on 31st October’ 2020 from 11 am GMT to 1 pm GMT (4.30 to 6.30 IST). Four case studies from different parts of India with a historic perspective of crafts communities: their confrontation with disasters and the success stories of adaptations and movements of crafts revival across India will be shared Please register in advance at: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZYpf-qrpjkpG9Kt55DuM...The webinar will also be streamed live in Facebook page of ICOMOS India https://www.facebook.com/icomosindia

Revitalizing women’s chants of Taroudant, High Atlas of Morocco

In the High Atlas of Morocco: in the town of Taroudant: there is a practise known as Chikhate – singing groups consisting of women who travel from region to region performing chants at important social events and festivities. The chants of the Chikate are renowned for their beautiful harmonies: which are acompanied by a variety of instruments and perfomed to choreographed dances.Gradually: however: modern music and DJ shows have taken the place of Chikhate performances at weddings or social celebrations. To help safeguard their heritage: the remaining groups of performers have decided to revitalize the practise. In collaboration with the Moroccan Association Bhayer Dalya and with the support of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund: Chikate groups are working to raise awareness among younger generations of their tradition and are preparing an inventory of their chants and verses.Over the last three years: Bhayer Dalya has interviewed the women of Taroudant: who still practice these chants and is traini

2020 Maritime ICH Webinar Series to be Held on 29 and 30 October

ICHCAP (Director-General Gi Hyung Keum): in collaboration with the UNESCO Apia Office: will hold a two-day ICH Webinar Series on Maritime ICH on 29 and 30 October 2020. The theme of the web seminar is “Maritime Living Heritage: Building Sustainable Livelihood and Ecosystems in the Asia-Pacific Region”The webinar is part of the Expert Meeting for Building Network on Maritime ICH: which has been organized by ICHCAP since 2018. It will be held as a webinar due to COVID-19.The Goal 14 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals pertains to the preservation and sustainable use of marine: sea: and marine resources. Recently: there has been growing interest in the use of traditional knowledge from coastal communities to achieve this SDG. Therefore: through this webinar: the audience will be able to explore wisdom for sustainable development through safeguarding the traditional knowledge. In particular: this year is significant as the “UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development” will be launched from next yea

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC), 16 September 2020

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC): 16 September 2020 (11th meeting)Current Issues◼ ICH NGO Conference co-organized by ICHCAP and ICH NGO Forum Sakr is continuously in contact with ICHCAP concerning the online conference “ICH and resilience in crisis: Implication in the Era of B.C. (Before Corona) and A.C. (After Corona)”. The organizers have selected presentations and participants for the conference: and ICHCAP is in contract with all of them. The selection of keynote speakers is in the process: following also the suggestions received from the Steering Committee in August. Besides: the ICHCAP asked the Forum if we can provide a congratulatory message for its 2020 World Forum for ICH in late September: and thus Nömgård sent our greeting in a form of a short video.◼ Next Newsletter of the ForumThe members of the Steering Committee confirmed for the next Newsletter to be preparedand published before 15.COM.◼ Reflection on 8.GA and Forum’s discussion sessions related to itCaicedo provided an ove

Online International Conference on the Craft of the Miller

In 2017: the craft of the miller was the Kingdom of the Netherlands’ first inscription on the Representative List of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. However: this craft is not unique to the Netherlands. By organising an international online conference: we aim to bring together wind- and watermill parties from all over the world to share knowledge and skills and develop an international network of millers and mill societies. Initially we intended to convene a conference in the Netherlands: but due to COVID-19 it could not take place. We decided not to wait until we can meet in person. Therefore we are organising an online meeting. You find the programme here: https://network.molens.nl/If you are unable to attend this conference but you would like to receive news about future activities: please send an e-mail to: craftofthemiller@molens.nl

Nearly US$500,000 granted to support safeguarding activities in Antigua and Bermuda, Burundi, Egypt, South Sudan and Uruguay

The Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund provides assistance to States Parties in their efforts to safeguard their living heritage. Last September: the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage examined International Assistance requests under US$100:000. A total of US$479:994 was granted to implement safeguarding activities in Antigua and Bermuda: Burundi: Egypt: South Sudan and Uruguay:◼ The project Strengthening capacities for the implementation of the 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in Antigua and Barbuda aims to create the country’s first national inventory of living heritage: enhancing national technical capacities to harvest and interpret related data and improving upon the exchange of information between the public and private sectors as well as civil society. Two pilot safeguarding activities – focusing on the Game of Warri and Traditional Boatbuilding – will be undertaken to trial safeguarding measures and

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC), 2 September 2020

■ Preparation of statement and programme for 8.GAThe first online discussion session dedicated to 8.GA was held on 1 September via Zoom. Around twenty ICH NGOs took an opportunity to discuss the agenda and documents for 8.GA from the perspective of NGOs: as well as the Forum’s statement for 8.GA. On the basis of the outcomes of the session: the members of the Steering Committee finalized the statement. Since none of the members of the Steering Committee will attend the GA in person: our statement will be presented in a form of a video message: which will be broadcasted on 8 September after the report of the Secretariat on its activities. Besides: the Forum wants to intervene on agenda item 11: related to the reflection on the listing mechanisms of the Convention. The intervention has been finalized: but at the moment it is not yet known if the GA will allow its presentation. Another session of the Forum pertaining to 8.GA will be held via Zoom on 14 September in English and on 15 September in French to discus

ICH NGO Forum's documents for the 8th General Assembly of UNESCO's Convention

ICH NGO Forum's documents for the 8th General Assembly of UNESCO's Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage◼ Statement : http://www.ichngoforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/ICH-NGO-Forum-statement-8-GA-2020-fin.pdf◼ Intervention : http://www.ichngoforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/ICH-NGO-Forum-intervention-8GA-11-fin.pdf◼ Item 11 of the 8.GA Agenda - Update on the reflection on the listing mechanism of the Convention : http://www.ichngoforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Reform-of-the-listing-mechanism_short-report_ICH-NGO-Forum.pdf◼ Invitation to the ICH NGO Forum's online meetings on 14th and 15th September 2020 : http://www.ichngoforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Invitation-to-ICH-NGO-Forums-online-meetings.pdf

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC), 5 August 2020

■ ICH NGO Conference co-organized by ICHCAP and ICH NGO ForumSakr is continuously in contact with ICHCAP concerning the online conference “ICH and resilience in crisis: Implication in the Era of B.C. (Before Corona) and A.C. (After Corona)”. The call for papers has been published: and is open until the mid August. The co-organizers currently discuss the selection of keynote speakers: and how to additionally motivate NGOs to submit their proposals. Members of the Steering Committee suggested few additional experts who could be considered to serve as keynote speakers: especially concerning the theme of resilience system analysis. As for the participation of ICH NGOs: it is important to motivate those that have been continuously involved in the activities of the Forum: but also to be as encouraging as possible to newcomers.■ Next Newsletter of the ForumThe new issue of the Newsletter: dedicated to responses of ICH NGOs to the pandemic: will be published these days. It is quite extensive: probably the most extens

2020 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage Online Ceremony Week 1: Activities of 2019 JIAPICH Finalists

Dear ICH Community:The 2020 JIAPICH (Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage) Online Ceremony will be held on Sept. 18th: 2020 at 20:30 KST (GMT+9:00). For the next four weeks we will be sending to all of our friends and the ICH community: promoting for the 2020 JIAPICH Online Ceremony. Please find the invitation from the Mayor of Jeonju and link to our week 1 video of our past winners. Week 1(Aug 14th). Presenting the activities of 2019 JIAPICH Finalists: Contact Base of India: Heritage Foundations of Newfoundland Canada: and Ahmed Skounti of Morocco: https://youtu.be/hHhnI6QzwlEPlease share this invitation to all of our ICH community and friends! Thank you.Best regards:Secretariat of the 2020 JIAPICH-----------------------Center for Intangible Culture Studies (CICS)Homepage: <a href ="http://www.jiapich.org">http://www.jiapich.org: http://www.ichngo.net Address:285 Kwonsamdeuk-ro: Dukjin-gu: Jeonju city: Jeonbuk: Republic of KoreaTel: +82-63-277-4098Fax: +82-63-277-4097

Traditional Art in Contemporary Times

British Council India and Contact Base (www.banglanatak.com) are organising an international webinar on "Traditional Art in Contemporary Times". Experts and practitioners from across the globe will look at how traditional art is evolving in contemporary times and also explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on living heritage worldwide. Speakers are Patricia Navas Röthlisberger who is in-charge of the Cultural Heritage for Inclusive Growth (CH4IG) programme at British Council Colombia: Dr. Harriet Deacon an expert with experience of consulting with UNESCO on implementation of the 2003 Convention on Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 16 countries: and artist Lou-ann Neel from the Kwakwaka'wakw community of Canada. Panel discussants include Suresh Jayaram: an art historian: curator and Founder of 1 Shanthiroad and National Awardee Patachitra artist- Anwar Chitrakar. Nandita Palchoudhury a social entrepreneur curating and consulting internationally in the field of Indian folk art: craft and per

ICH Webinar Series: the fourth session to be held on 12 August 2020

Co-organised by the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP) and UNESCO Office in Bangkok: the ICH Webinar Series features experts in the ICH field and is open to the public.The ICH Webinar Series Session 4 is now open for registration. If you want to receive a webinar alert: please register through this link.To be held on 12 August 2020 at 4 PM to 5:30 PM (Korean Standard Time): the fourth session will focus on curriculum development with an emphasis on how ICH is introduced: incorporated: and enriched in university-level settings.Inter-regional ICH curriculum development experiences will be discussed by Ms. Emily Drani (Executive Director: Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda): Dr. Frances C. Koya Vaka’uta (Professor: the University of the South Pacific): and Dr. Marc Jacobs (Professor: University of Antwerp). For more information: you are invited to read this article on the session.For free and continuou

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC), 1 July 2020

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC): 1 July 2020■ Work of ICH NGO Forum under Coronavirus epidemicFollowing the previously adopted plan (see minutes of the 7th meeting) and the current situation in Caicedo’s family: the members adopted a revised plan to broaden the number of online discussion sessions on ICH in emergencies and under COVID-19: planned in relation to the preparation of Forum’s report for 15.COM (see 6.b below): from one to several. In coordination with Nömgård: Ceribašić will present this revised plan to Matti Hakamäki: who is in charge of facilitating the work of the group dealing with emergencies and COVID-19. When the circumstances allow: Caicedo will join the group and further develop theinitial plan.■ ICH NGO Conference co-organized by ICHCAP and ICH NGO ForumSince the last meeting of the SC: the topic of the conference has been defined: and call for papers created and discussed between the ICHCAP and the Forum: represented by Sakr. The title of the conference is “ICH and r

City of Jeonju Welcomes the World to 2020 JIAPICH Online Ceremony!

Greetings from the Secretariat of 2020 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage (2020 JIAPICH). The 2020 JIAPICH Grand Prize is on its second annual year to discover exemplary cases of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) safeguarding activities throughout the world and to establish social solidarity and identity through ICH. It is our hope to develop ICH international communities.The inaugural JIAPICH ceremony was held in 2019 and saw 48 applications from 36 countries around the world. The 2020 JIAPICH accepted 39 applications from 27 countries. The geographical distribution of candidates is spread evenly across the 5 oceans and 6 major continents: and has earned a strong response from ICH actors around the world. The global ICH community is going through an arduous period in time during the pandemic crisis. It is getting worse for those practicing: safeguarding: and promoting ICH. It is thus meaningful that the citizens of Jeonju were able to raise funds at this time to help orga

Amid COVID 19, UNESCO Peru defines new ways to inventory living heritage with communities in Ayacucho, Peru

Project: Community-based inventorying of intangible heritage in urban areas (1 January 2018 – 1 December 2021) The call for participation in the pilot project ‘Community-based inventorying of intangible cultural heritage in the urban context of Ayacucho: Peru’ attracted hundreds of applicants. Of these: 56 selected public officials: archaeologists: anthropologists: communicators: teachers: bearers: practitioners and cultural managers came together in January 2020 for an initial training workshop with the objective to set up the methodological framework for the inventorying and to plan the process. However: when the COVID-19 pandemic reached Peru in March 2020: a general confinement was declared: and all field work had to be put on hold. To sustain the interest and momentum gained during the preparatory phase: UNESCO proposed to continue the project during confinement through the use of both digital and analogue technologies: including virtual interviews with bearers and academic researchers. Three online meet

Online Stage

The “ONLINE STAGE” platform on the EAFF's website provides an easy way to promote folklore music and dance video performances: which in just a few steps will be visible on the website of the European Association of Folklore Festivals - EAFF.The aim of the initiative is to present records of high artistic value to keep alive the traditions of the nations.The unique virtual stage will provide you a stage to present yourself: despite the current global situation: delighting fans of folklore art. You can send your video to the "online stage" with just one click.The "ONLINE STAGE" section is part of the eponymous new section of the EAFF's website: which also provides access to the overview-documentary festival films: to the editions of the TV show "World Folklore Art" and to the monthly TV shows of the TV Championship by EurofolkTV .The new section also takes you to the opportunity to become viewers and listeners of EAFF's main media partners - Eurofolk's online television and online radio. Enjoy the emotions with

ICH Webinar Series Session III on July 30

Slated for 30 July 2020 at 20:00 to 21:30 (Korean Standard Time): the third session of the ICH Webinar Series will be held. Co-organized by ICHCAP and the UNESCO Bangkok Office: participants and speakers hope to have a deeper engagement with ideas of building cooperation and networking initiatives among higher education institutions for ICH safeguarding from founded regional networks in Africa: Latin America: Europe: and Asia-Pacific. This session is a continuation of our efforts to have a better understanding of the integration between intangible cultural heritage and higher education: which visibly faces more challenges at the present time as the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated measures directly affecting the operations of educational institutions all over the world such as school closure: instruction through online means: and disruption of research field work and other related activities.Link: https://www.unesco-ichcap.org/ich-webinar-series-session-iii-to-focus-on-regional-networks-for-the-teaching-of-

X World Championship of Folklore "World folk 2020" ONLINE

The team of the European Association of Folklore Festivals - EAFF: (ICH) partner of UNESCO welcomes all the performers in the field of the folklore arts!We are pleased to announce that the jubilee X edition of the World Championship of Folklore "World folk" 2020 will be held in two formats - traditionally: in a real environment and virtually: on the Internet. The online version of the Championship is a result of the pandemic situation around the world and in response to the imposed measures to limit the spread of COVID-19. In this regard: EAFF offers a new platform for performance and creative contacts for all folk groups: which do not have the opportunity to travel and attend the event live! Join the online edition of the X World Championship of Folklore "World Folk" 2020 and become part of the upcoming virtual contest!With this new form of communication: let us overcome isolation and stay together in this challenge: because folklore has always been: is and will be shared knowledge! Of course: online partici

Congratulations to 2020 JIAPICH Finalists!

The City of Jeoju is hosting our second annual Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage Online Ceremony. Recorded Online Ceremony will be held on 'CICS in Korea' and official 'Jeonju' city Youtube live stream on September 18th 20:30 Korean Time. Exact dates and times will be posted again as they are subjected to change. Please join us! 2020 JIAPICH Finalists: ASAMA-The Association for the Protection of Masks in West Afria (Burkina Faso): Hieu Duc Vu- Director of Muong Cultural Space Museum (Vietnam): Impacto- Protectors of ICH in Highlands Region of Chipas (Mexico) Congratulations Finalists!

Kaustinen Folk Music Festival finds the ways to do it online

Thousands of cultural and heritage events throughout the world have been cancelled due to covid-19 pandemic. Kaustinen Folk Music Festival: the major Finnish folk music and dance event and one of the majors in Northern Europe: also had to tell this sad message to its dedicated friends. In order to support practising and sharing living heritage under current conditions and to keep up the festival community: consisting of 4000–5000 professional and amateur performers and 40000–50000 visitors annually: a virtual online festival was quickly created. The core of the VirtualKaustinen 2020 online event: 13.–19.7.2020: is the general invitation to all willing groups and individuals to record video performances: upload them to Youtube and share the link to the festival organization. Several hundred videos are expected: and the festival publishes daily a selection of dozens of links. The programme also consists of daily streamed concerts and workshops: interviews and a webcast radio by The Finnish Folk Music Institute

Virtual Launch of Volume no. 15 of the International Journal of Intangible Heritage

Celebrate the launch of the 15th volume of the International Journal of Intangible Heritage and the 15-year anniversary of its founding – in a two-part webinar series commencing on 15 July 2020.COVID-19 restrictions mean that while this year’s Journal could not be launched at the ICOM Annual Meeting as is traditional: this virtual launch in the form of a webinar series: will enable the Journal to involve many more people in an event that will bring together authors and book reviewers: practitioners and professionals: individuals and institutions: all of whom have been instrumental in the production of the IJIH over its 15 years of existence.Participants in the two webinars: all authors in Vol.15: will address the two main themes emerging in this year’s Journal: Museums and Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH): perspectives: policy making and practice; and Identity and Meaning: Traditional knowledge and Traditional craftsmanship.These themes are examined in articles and book reviews that interrogate a wide range

Call for Papers: ICH and Resilience in Crisis

ICHCAP: in collaboration with ICH NGO Forum: is pleased to invite NGOs to participate in the online 2020 ICH NGO Conference: ICH and Resilience in Crisis to be held on 12 and 13 November 2020.Since 2014: ICHCAP has been organizing the conference biennially. The conference gives premium focus on the work of NGOs in the ICH field globally.While conditions of instability caused by COVID-19 pandemic could extraordinarily constrain human interactions: both co-organizers decided to continue cooperative relationships among ICH NGOs in such a critical time by holding an online conference. Therefore: this year: as a timely issue: the conference aims to thoroughly understand the broadness and depth of ICH NGOs roles and challenges: particularly in the field of education.The objectives of the 2020 ICH NGO Conference are to better understand the interrelationship between ICH and education within the lens of sustainable development and to empower ICH NGOs around the world by discovering good practices and sharing useful e

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC), 3 June 2020

■ Work of ICH NGO Forum under Coronavirus epidemicAs a follow-up regarding the UNESCO’s platform on living heritage experiences in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: Jorge Gustavo Caicedo presented to the Steering Committee the draft call to all accredited NGOs to participate in a video presentation with Q&A on how the pandemic has impacted their activities: what are the measures that they are implementing to confront the situation: and what is the expectation of NGOs on the forthcoming future. All presentations are planned to be held in English: French or Spanish (in one of these languages for a single event) on the Zoom communication platform: and broadcast live to ichngo.net: ichngoforum.org: YouTube and Facebook. The proposal was endorsed by the members of the Steering Committee. The first such “conversation” or “debate”: as these events will be called: will be held towards the end of June or the beginning of July. Jorge Gustavo Caicedo will facilitate those in English and Spanish: and Donghwan Choi t

Connecting to the Roots

Experience the varied and diverse culture of Bengal through out "Connecting to the Roots" program. This is an unique opportunity to connect with your roots through performances and short films on different art forms of Bengal. This week we will be presenting to you- Chau: Banbibir Pala: Jhumur: Natua: Darjeeling Folk Dance and Raibense. Time - 5.00 p.m. IST Link - https://www.facebook.com/banglanatakdotcom/

ICH Webinar Series co-organized by ICHCAP and UNESCO Office in Bangkok

Co-organised by the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP) and UNESCO Office in Bangkok: the ICH Webinar Series features experts in the ICH field and is open to the public.The first session of this Webinar Series will discuss the impacts of the pandemic on ICH in the Asia and the Pacific region and the roles ICH might take to address the situation of crisis.Session 1: Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the COVID-19 in the Asia-Pacific Region (18 June 2020)Time: 18 June 2020: 17:00-19:00 (Korea Standard Time): 15:00-17:00(Bangkok Time)Pre-registration: Registration is closed.We will also stream the live webinar to ICHCAP’s Youtube and Facebook Channels.▶YouTube Live (English) https://youtu.be/AZVkHf74ejs▶YouTube Live (Korean) https://youtu.be/YA2_YFaUudY▶Facebook Live (English) https://www.facebook.com/ICHCAP/Session 2: Teaching and learning heritage-related disciplines during COVID-19 Pand

Eighth Session of the General Assembly(8.GA) Postponed to 8 to 10 September 2020

The eighth session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (previously foreseen from 25 to 27 August) has been rescheduled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to 8 to 10 September 2020 (UNESCO Headquarters: Paris). The modality of the General Assembly may be subject to further change: given the unprecedented and evolving situation.Over the three days: 178 States Parties will discuss a number of issues that are important for the safeguarding of living heritage around the world. All working documents for the session will be published by 7 August 2020 on this webpage.Link: https://ich.unesco.org/en/8ga

Announcement of the 2020 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage!

We express our sincere gratitude to all applicants for the 2020 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage. We recognize and deeply appreciate what you and your organizations have achieved with respect to the safeguarding and revitalization of ICH. The selection process was very challenging as all applicants demonstrated good practices for the safeguarding ICH with courage and lofty spirit. Only three applicants (individuals and organizations) were selected as finalists from thirty-nine applicants from 27 countries on six continents.Jeonju City announces the following three finalist candidates for public verification as the final process for the 2020 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage. The finalist candidates are as follows: - Vu Duc Hieu (Individual: Vietnam: Asia-Pacific Region) - Impacto (Organization: Mexico: Latin America)- Asama (Organization: Burkina Faso: Africa) The public verification process allows for verification of whether the fina

Follow-Up Activities of the Steering Committee (SC), 6 May 2020

■ Work of ICH NGO Forum under Coronavirus Epidemic After the publication of a general call to NGOs to share their experiences in safeguarding ICH under the epidemic COVID-19 in the last ICH NGO Forum-Newsletter in April: 2020: the Steering Committee has discussed on the second call which would focus on foreseeing the immediate future impact of the pandemic: how it may change the practice of ICH elements: what new challenges are expected in safeguarding: and what would be a path back into “normal”. After the discussion: the members of the Steering Committee agreed to elaborate the complete call before the next meeting of the Steering Committee. ■ Proposal from ICHCAP regarding co-organization of an online ICH NGO Conference ICHCAP has hosted the Asia-Pacific ICH NGO conference every two years since 2016 and the third Asia-Pacific ICH NGO Conference was originally scheduled to be held in Jeonju: South Korea: in November 2020: with the initial theme of ICH and education. But due to the pandemic COVID-19: ICHCAP

Volunteers for ad hoc sub-committee for the ICH NGO Forum report at 15.COM

Volunteers for ad hoc sub-committee for the ICH NGO Forum report at 15. COM(See below for the french version)Dear colleagues:we hope that this email finds you well and safe from the spread of Covid-19.As you know: at 14. COM the Intergovernmental Committee decided to include our report as a separate agenda item at its next session. It will be first such report in the history of the Forum: and it requires our due attention.Several members of the Steering Committee had an online meeting with UNESCO Secretariat: where we discussed formal requirement for the report. It is expected to be no longer than 5 pages; it may use as a model the reports of ad hoc working groups; the greatest attention should be given to the draft decision as the binding part of the agenda item: while overall contents of the report is up to the Forum to decide. The deadline for completing the English version of the report is the end of September. The Secretariat will translate it into French: and both versions needs to be available at the U

New Paradigms in Rural Cultural Industries

Creative industries like craft collectives: village tourism: cultural festivals which support the tradition bearers and practitioners are threatened with challenges of decline in demand owing to factors like decline in tourist flows: less disposable income of consumers and restrictions in cultural and social gatherings. On June 18: 2020: UNESCO New Delhi in collaboration with banglanatak dot com is organizing its next webinar on ‘New Paradigms in Rural Cultural Industries’. The objectives of the webinar are to:• Raise awareness about the impact of COVID-19 on cultural and creative sector based on heritage skills in art and crafts including cultural tourism• Identify needs and challenges to be addressed through development of policies: programs and financial mechanisms aimed at empowering artists• Sharing voices of ICH Communities and experiences from different countries. The webinar will be from 4 pm to 5:30 pm. PanelistsMs. Junhi Han: Programme Specialist and Chief of Culture Sector: UNESCO New Delhi will op

Building Resilient Communities Practising ICH

On April 15:2020: UNESCO launched a global movement ResiliArt to mobilize solidarity among artists and cultural professionals. Social media campaign and online debates are being organized to shed light on the impact of the pandemic on cultural value chain and creative economy: support the artists during and following the crisis. UNESCO New Delhi launched ResiliArt South Asia on May 21: 2020 with a webinar on “Arts and Culture during Covid-19 crisis”.South Asia is rich in intangible cultural heritage. The folk artists and crafts persons are facing challenges with cancellation of cultural programs: festivals and exhibitions: disruptions in supply chain and restrictions in mobility and social gathering. On June 10: 2020: UNESCO New Delhi in collaboration with banglanatak dot com is organizing a webinar on ‘Building Resilient Communities Practising Intangible Cultural Heritage’.Welcome Note: Eric Falt: Director and UNESCO Representative to Bhutan: India: Maldives and Sri Lanka will welcome the panelists and share

Making of Rattan Products

Rattan is a family of climbing palms found in tropical regions, and is used for a variety purposes, including the making of furniture and handicrafts, and as building materials. The name “rattan” refers to the stem of the climbing palm, and is believed to have originated from the Malay word “rotan”, meaning “to pare”. Rattan is also sometimes known as “cane”. In Singapore, the making of rattan products is closely tied with its economic history. Historically known as a centre for entrepot trade of rattan, the rattan industry in Singapore reached its peak in the 1960s and 1970s, when there was a rapid growth in the processing of rattan raw materials and making of rattan products, as driven by global trade and domestic development. Known for high-quality hand-made rattan products and technology in rattan processing, Singapore was also a centre for regional rattan research in the 1980s. Though the industry dwindled from the 1990s due to the global competition and economic and social factors, Singapore remains a k

Periodic Performance of Pilbong Farmer's Music of Imsil Held Without Spectators

Periodic Performance of Pilbong Farmer's Music of Imsil Held Without Spectators on May 30: 2020Due to the Covid-19 pandemic: many events were cancelled but some still continued to go without spectators. The periodic performance of Pilbong Farmer's Music of Imsil was held on May 30(Sat.): 2020 without spectators. This farmer's music has been performed to get evil spirits away and to wish for the safeness for their community. It was a pity that the community members were not able to get involved. The performers performed wishing that the coronavirus crisis would quickly come to an end. Pilbong Farmer's Music is No.11-5 of National Intangible Cultural Property of Republic of Korea. It is mainly performed in the west area of Jeolla North Province.

Online training for periodic reporting launched in Latin America and the Caribbean

National focal points for periodic reporting from 33 countries and associated member States of UNESCO across Latin America and the Caribbean took part last Tuesday in the launch of the new online training course for the reformed periodic reporting process: which is being rolled out in the Latin America and Caribbean region for the first time this year.UNESCO developed the course in collaboration with CRESPIAL with the aim to build capacities for the preparation of the country reports and to strengthen the national monitoring processes of the 2003 Convention. It will also provide an occasion for peer learning: networking and strategic discussion among participating focal points and UNESCO colleagues.The course: which has been adapted to an online format in response to the COVID-19 crisis: presents a new modality for delivering training under the global capacity-building strategy: and will take place over a period of six weeks from 19 May to 23 June. Link: https://ich.unesco.org/en/news/online-training-for-peri

Follow-Up Activities of Steering Committee(SC)

■ Publication of the Newsletter The ICHNGO Forum Newsletter was distributed on 10 April: 2020. Link: http://ipw1.mjt.lu/nl2/ipw1/mhwyz.html?m=AMUAAG4ynZcAAcp9SuoAAAAYkL0AAAAUPK8AAG2QAAhZhABekH6VcK_F42C1S8W_cvNYtqNL4AAH8AE&b=ce917d60&e=796b3e97&x=dcVxVxUKwyeqK1pPsQLBfCpu_MhYZwEb6wit78bUopMThe SC will issue the next Newsletter at the end of June or the beginning of July: sharing experiences and good practices of ICH in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. ■ Preparation of Program for 8.GAThe 8th session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has been rescheduled to 25 to 27 August: 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.It has appeared that at the moment nobody can be completely sure about the date: format: and agenda of 8.GA yet from the talks with the UNESCO Secretariat of the Convention held on 6 April. It may happen that it will be shortened: that no side events will be organized and/or that it will be postponed again. Ne

UNESCO launches platform on living heritage and the COVID-19 pandemic

IMPACT ON LIVING HERITAGEExperiences shared so far through the online survey have shown the scale of disruption across the world: with many significant festive events and rituals cancelled or postponed. Some communities can no longer access the cultural and natural spaces and places of memory necessary for expressing their intangible cultural heritage: while others are restricted from coming together to share and enjoy many aspects of their intangible cultural heritage: so important to them.This has not only caused disruptions in the social and cultural lives of many: but has also resulted in loss of income for many bearers and practitioners of intangible cultural heritage. Those working in the performing arts and traditional crafts: who largely operate in the informal sector: have been particularly hard hit. Although it is still early to assess the economic costs: artisans the world over have responded to the survey noting loss of livelihoods as they face challenges in supplying orders and accessing raw mate

Follow-Up Activities of Steering Committee(SC)

■ Preparation of program for 8.GA(1) 8.GA has been rescheduled from 9-11 June to 25-27 August: 2020.(2) Arranging ICH NGO Forum Desk for 8th General Assembly.(Guiding NGOs to present their materials such as leaflets: brochures: perhaps also posters: etc./ letters to be sent to all accredited NGOs) (3) Organizing a panel presentation and in-depth discussion on one or two success stories of good: viable: and innovative safeguarding practices.(The outcomes of the ICH and Museums (IMP) project to be presented) ■ Preparation of program for 15.COM(1) The theme of the Symposium is “ICH and Tourism.”(2) The joint session on the “Wheel Chart of Sustainability and ICH” co-organized by Finland (Sharing chart’s application in the work of ICH NGOs and their role in safeguarding)(3) The report of accredited NGOs will be introduced as a separate agenda. The reform of the listing mechanism: regional reporting: application of the overall results framework: treatment of correspondence from the public: etc. will be discus

Living heritage experiences in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

While we are currently going through extraordinary conditions of lockdown on a global scale due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: we are also seeing the ways in which the impact of this crisis goes beyond our physical health. Festivals and cultural events are being cancelled or postponed: and cultural practices and rituals are being restricted: causing disruptions in the lives of many people.At the same time: we are seeing how living heritage can be a source of resilience in such difficult circumstances: as people continue to draw inspiration: joy and solidarity from practising their living heritage. With this in mind: UNESCO is inviting its partners to share their experiences on the role of living heritage during the pandemic and how its safeguarding has been affected in the immediate term.We hope that these stories will help enhance our learning about safeguarding living heritage in the context of COVID-19 and inspire communities to learn from each other and exchange experiences.Please send us your ex

Reports of the ICH NGO Forum at the Pre & 14th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of ICH to be held in Bogota from 7 to 14 December 2019.

You can find the attached reports of the ICH NGO Forum activities at Pre-14.COM and 14.COM held in Bogota: Colombia from 7 to 14 December 2019.

Workshop on ICH management in Pernik, Bulgaria

The Regional Centre Sofia organizes two-days workshops on 'ICH management' in different cities in Bulgaria in the frames of the project named “Safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage through enhancing civil society’s participation on the process of formulating: implementing and monitoring of policies and legislation”.After the first workshop in Ruse and the following in Koprivshtitsa: Burgas and Vratsa: the last planned workshop will be held in the city of Pernik on March 5-6: 2020.More information: available in Bulgarian* Link: http://www.unesco-centerbg.org

Mongolian Traditional Practices of Worshipping the Sacred Sites

Deeply rooted in the respect for their environment, Mongolians have been practicing the worshipping of sacred sites. Since the ancient times, Mongolia’s nomadic lifestyle has contributed to the ritual of worshipping sacred sites. The nomadic pastoralism and nomadic cultures have thrived in the vast lands of Mongolia. Humans living in harmony with nature is one of the features of nomadic culture; worshipping practices of sacred natural sites. It was discouraged to leave ashes or any kind of waste. The shamanic beliefs of Mongolians practices worshipping mountains. The peaks of these venerated mountain serves as an offering place where passersby worship for their endeavors. The procedural ceremony starts by monk chants and the villagers communing together to venerate the sacred sites. The importance of these events are for the solidarity and harmony of the community and groups. Mongolian traditional practices of worshipping sacred sites have been inscribed to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017. Re

GANDHI SMRITHI 2020

Folkland with the support of Dorf Ketal and collaboration with INTACH Kasargod Chapter and Payyanur Paursamithi organized different programs on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s 72nd Death Anniversary.

Nordic-Baltic ICH Network established, Kaustinen ICH seminar 2019 video available online

The Nordic and Baltic network on Intangible Cultural Heritage was established 13.7.2019 at the Kaustinen Intangible Cultural Heritage Seminar 2019. The organization of the network will be discussed in a satellite meeting associated with the first Nordic ICH conference Living heritage in the Nordic countries. International seminar on the UNESCO 2003 Convention: 31.10–1.11.2019 in Hanaholmen Cultural Centre: Espoo: Finland.See more information on the network and watch the Kaustinen seminar video(http://www.kansanmusiikki-instituutti.fi/toiminta/nordic-baltic-ich-network/).

The 15th session of Intangible Cultural Heritage will be held in Jamaica from 30 November to 5 December 2020.

The Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage ended its 14th session which took place in Bogota: Colombia from 9 to 14 December 2019: under the Chair Maria Claudia Lopez Sorzano. The Committee adopted guidelines for the safeguarding of ICH in emergency situtions such as conflict and disaster(both natural and human-induced).The guidelines build on the research and experience acquired by UNESCO in recent years: including among Syrian refugees: internally displaced population in the Democratic Republic of Congo and disaster risk reduction strategies in the Pacificnds. During the last day of the session: the Committee decided its 15th session will be held in Kingston under the Chair of Jamaica's Minister of Culture: Gender: Entertainment and Sport: from 30 November to 5 December 2020. The Committee also inscribed five elements on the List of ICH in Need of Urgent Safeguarding and 35 on the Representative List of ICH of Humanity.

2020 Jeonju International Awards now accept applications

Registration has begun for the 2nd annual Jeonju International Awards Ceremony. Please Download the application here: http://jiapich.org/Candidates for the AwardsAwards are open to Living Human Treasure(practitioners): groups and communities: administrators: researchers: NGOs and those who have mad substantial contributions for promoting ICHSubmission of application : March 30th: 2020Announcement of Awardee(s): June 2020 (TBD)Award Ceremony : September 2020 (TBD)Website: Secretariat of JIAPICH: www.cics.center/jiapichCity of Jeonju : www.jeonju.go.krUNESCO NGO information website: www.ichngo.net Email: cics.center@gmail.com

Opening Ceremony of the 14th session of the Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Colombia's President Ivan Duque Marquez and UNESCO's Director-General Audrey Azoulay were among more than 1:000 participants sho attended the opening on 9 December of the 14th session of the Committee for rhe Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage taking place in the Colombian capital under the chair of Maria Claudia Lopez Sorzano: until 14 December 2019. Performers from the Car ival of Barranquilla: inscribed on UNESCO's Representive List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 escorted delegates to the auditorium where opening ceremony took place: before the Corbandas symphony orchestra performed a program of cumbia: fandago and merengue carranguero music. In her speech: Ms. Audrey Azoulay said that since its entry into force in 2006: the Convention for the Intangible Cultural Heritage "has been made stronger through its dissemination of an ambitious vision of heritage: the idea of living legacy that integrates practices: experiences: techniques and human knowledge nurtured over

ICH NGO Forum Pre-14.COM Activities

On Saturday:7 December 2019: Capacity-building workshops were held at the Black Tower Hotel in Bogota: Colombia: under generous support of the Government of Sweden who also hosted a luncheon.On Sunday: 8 December: the Forum held a Symposium on <ICH in Urban Contexts> in cooperation with the National Heritage Board of Singapore at the Agora Convention Center. Another Symposium on <Reform of the Listing Mechanism - How NGOs can contribute to addressing old and new challenges?> was held also.In the afternoon of 8 December: the Forum had a meeting to discuss the draft Bylaws of ICH NGO Forum prepared by the working group and the Steering Committee.

The 14th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to be held in Bogota, Colombia from 9 to 14 December 2019.

You can access to the live webcast of the 14th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to be held in Bogota: Colombia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njDKwhjBTfE&feature=emb_logo

Angklung: Indonesian Bamboo Musical Instrument

Angklung is a musical instrument made of Bamboo tubes and frame attached to one another by rattan cords. The tubes are carved to resonate pitch when struck and are tuned to octaves. The base of the frame is held in one hand, while the other hand shakes the instrument. Each Angklung players are responsible for one pitch making the collection of Angklung players to come together for an ensemble that produces the appropriate melodies. Angklung is closely related to traditional customs, arts, and cultural identity of Indonesia. Until recently, the Angklung was mainly played among children at schools. This changed in the last century when the Angklung has been reintroduced in local festivals as well as social gatherings. Angklung was inscribed in 2010 to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. References: ICH UNESCO, Wikipedia

Baul Fakir Mela in New Delhi on 9th-10th November, 2019

Nearly 200 Baul-Fakiri songs: Bengali Qawaali and Dhamail songs were sung by a whopping community of 60 Baul-Fakir musicians from Bengal before around 1500 people: if not more: at the Meghdoot Open Air Theater Auditorium of Sangeet Natak Academy: New Delhi: over a span of 13 hours across 2 days. Around 70% of the audience: meaning: more than 1000 of the audience were from the diaspora Bengali community of New Delhi. Again: the fact that more than 500 among the attendees were from the non-Bengali communities residing in and around Delhi was: in itself: no mean feat!

Pre-14.COM and 14.COM programme, 7-13 December 2019

ICH NGO Forum: Pre-14.COM and 14.COM programme Bogotá: 7-13 December 2019The programme of the activities of the ICH NGO Forum before and during the fourteenth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (14.COM).Please confirm your participation by filling out the form which you can find on http://www.ichngoforum.org/pre-14-com-14-com-programme-bogota-7-13-december-2019/#/ as soon as possible: and no later than 30 November 2019.Saturday: 7 December: Capacity-building workshopBlack Tower Premium Hotel (Av esperanza 43a 21)(Lunch and coffee/tea breaks hosted by the Kingdom of Sweden)9:30-10 Plenary session: Introduction to the workshop 10-11:30 Group work Group A-C: newly accredited NGOs and newcomers to COM: Introducing the Convention: its key terms: and the role of NGOs in its implementation on national: regional and international levels Group A: English-speaking group: facilitator Naila CeribašićGroup B: French-speaking group: facilitator Jorijn Neyri

The Art of Brazilian Capoeira Circle

Capoeira Circle is a common sighting in Brazil as it is quite popular to have Capoeiristas gather around in circles performing, competing, and sharing their art of movement. Capoeira has African origins since the early 16th century from enslaved Africans in Brazil. Although Capoeira has since become one of the biggest cultural exports of Brazil, Capoeiristas have historically been persecuted and had their art of movement shunned for some time. The acrobatic movements of Capoeira Circles is just part of the art form, as it requires the artists of Capoeira Circles to sing, chant, clap, and play instruments. When the Capoeira Circle is formed two opposing players engage each other in what looks to be a dance of reacting to each other’s movements. These acrobatic movements are difficult and require many years of training to master. The Capoeira master is someone who oversees the whole circle and controls the tempo with timing and rhythm. The Capoeira Circle is a training ground for the students to observe and lea

Beer Culture in Belgium

Belgium and beer is synonymous as the culture holds high demand for it. Until the 1960s children eating lunch at school had the choice of beer (called table beer low in alcohol) as their drink. Consumption and demand for beer is a tradition and the range of different kinds of beer in Belgium is constantly growing. Although statistically Belgium has fewer breweries than that of some states in the US, Belgium has more diversity when it comes to beer styles and their brewing processes. There are some 1500 types of beer, all using different fermentation methods. Many local Belgian beers are brewed in micro-breweries. These beers having their own brands reach many locals who consume the beer with any kind of social gatherings or events. Master brewers will often teach courses in universities and other venues in order to help transmit their skills to aspiring brewers and amateurs alike. Beer culture in Belgium was inscribed in 2016 to the representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Referenc

The oldest sport in Ireland: Hurling

The oldest sports in Ireland is Hurling. It predates Christianity as there are records of it being played in 1200 BCE. This ancient game is some what unknown to the rest of the world. Hurling is a team sport that involves 15 players on each side, chase and try to score on the opponents’ goal with a ball known as Sliotar (leather covered cork centered ball). Much like sports that have two halves consisting of 25-35minute time frame, the team with the most goals win the match. Hurling resembles field hockey, lacrosse and soccer how it is played out. The sport promotes good health, wellbeing, and team spirit. Today Hurling is preserved and transmitted through coaching and games in schools and clubs. Hurling was inscribed in 2018 to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. References: ICH UNESCO, WIKIPEDIA

DANCE AWARD SEASON 2020: Where you are the protagonist!

The Dance Grand Prix present the International Competitions and invite your dance school/group to compete and performing at the most prestigious "Art Cities Theatres" in Europe."Barcelona Dance Award" in Spain from 9 to 13 April 2020 during Easter Spring Time.and"Dance Grand Prix Venice-Florence" in Italy from 22 to 26 June 2020 during Summer Time.To find out how to qualify: mail the office: so Directors should act right away for next Year!Unfortunately: in this year: space has been limited and many groups have failed to register: and we hope do not have this kind of problems: for your dance group: next 2020 editions!If you need: just in a few days you will receive (free on charges for you!) some advertising materials from us:the brochures and posters of the Dance Grand Prix 2020 Season: reply to this e.mail for request of info.our info email: eurodancebarcelona@gmail.comFull Name: ___________________________________________School/Company Name: ________________________________Email Address: __________________

Rebetiko: Urban Greek music 1,Rebetiko: Urban Greek music

Rebetiko or can be described as the urban popular song of the Greeks, originating some time from the late 19th century to the 1950s. Rebetiko is associated with the Urban lower and working class population of Greece whom created songs and sounds from their daily life. Often the lyrics were describing the lower standards that the impoverished faced along with their struggles that the mainstream population were able to make connections. The earliest origins of Rebetiko is from mainly coastal cities in today’s Asia Minor with large Greek communities during the Ottoman era. Rebetiko emphasizes the importance of living musical tradition with a strong symbolic, ideological and artistic character. The Transmission occurs orally through live performances. Bouzouki is the one of the main instruments of Rebetiko, which looks a lot like the guitar but has three strings. Rebetiko is closely related to the nightlife entertainment of Greek taverns and Hookah shops. In 2017 Rebetiko was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultur

Traditional Mauritian Sega: The Talented Mauritian Music

Although the exact origins of the Mauritian Sega is up for debate, what is not questioned is the pure talent and vibrant performing art that is the Mauritian Sega. The self-expressive songs are often in Creole, using traditional instruments such as the Ravann, Triangle, and the Maravann. As Mauritian society is a multicultural one, the Mauritian Sega helps to alleviate the different cultures and classes to come together for one unified performance. The Sega songs are slow to start usually, with the tempo gradually increasing the singer often sings in Creole or their own language and people dance in short steps moving their hip and hand to the beat. The main practitioners are singers, dancers who transmit their skills through teaching and imitation. Traditional Mauritian Sega was inscribed to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2014. References: ICH UNESCO, Wikipedia

The King Hung Temple Festival of Phu Tho Vietnam

On the 8th to the 11th day of the third lunar month of the year, The King Hung temple festivals of Pho Tho attracts millions of people to the Nghia Linh mountains. The people commemorate their ancestors and pray for good weather, abundant harvests, good luck, and good health. The festival takes place over several days, the 10th day of the month considered the most important. The procession starts at the foot of the mountain and stops at every small temple before reaching the High Temple. The people offer prayers and incense to their ancestors. The festival features many folk games, rice cooking competitions, lion dance, human chess, and various other cultural activities. Many who visit the festivals can enjoy various unique art performances some of which were recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.References:ICH UNESCO, Wikipedia, Inside Vietnam Travel(www.toursinvietnam.com)

ICH NGO Forum : the Activities during the 14th Intergovernmental Committee

The Steering Committee of The ICH NGO Forum INVITE You to participate in ICH NGO Forum activates in Bogota - Colombia: 7 – 14th December 2019 at ICH Intergovernmental Committee Meetings each year: this year to be held in Bogota - Colombia: 9-14th December at 14.COM.Invitation:Dear colleagues:as NGOs accredited to the 2003 Convention: you have received invitation to participate at 14.COM: which will be held in Bogota from 9 to 14 December 2019. We hope that you will be able to attend. Please take note that expenses incurred by participants are generally borne by your organizations. However: participation costs for representatives from accredited NGOs from developing countries: depending on the availability of resources: may be covered by the Fund for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. More information on that is available in the invitation letter that you have received.When planning your trip to Bogota: please pay particular attention to ICH NGO Forum pre-14.COM events: scheduled for 7-8 Dec

Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage

The Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage aims to recognize good safeguarding practices of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and to encourage the proliferation of values of ICH such as social cohesion: cooperation: and cultural diversity for the future development of the global community. The awards are given to individuals: groups: institutions: NGOs: and those who have made substantial contributions to promoting ICH. Jeonju City is happy to made an opportunity to praise their commitments and indomitable spirit for the safeguarding of ICH. Taking the first step in 2019: Jeonju International Awards for Promoting ICH hopes to become sustainable with prestige gaining a great deal of attention from the world. A) SignificanceThe Jeonju International Awards for Promoting ICH are international awards established by Jeonju: a city of traditional culture. The local government: Jeonju City: took the initiative to transmit: safeguard: and promote ICH around the world. Jeonju is a cultu

Outdoor Events at the Jeonju International Awards

Exhibition & Hands-on Experience of ICH -Patachitra exhibition-Hapjukseon (Fan making)-Jihwa (paper Flower)-Jeonju Yiyangju (Folk Liquor)-Hanji paper photo exhibition-Jeonju future cultural heritage exhibition

The First Jeonju International Awards

Congratulations to the winners! Winners are Contact Base from India: Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador of Canada and Professor Ahmed Skounti of Morocco.

The Carnival of Basel: Three best days in the year of Switzerland

The Carnival of Basel is the biggest carnival in Switzerland and has been listed as one of the top fifty local festivities of Europe. Taking place on Monday after Ash Wednesday at precisely 4:00 am, Carnival of Basel otherwise known as Basler Fasnacht turns the city upside down for 72 hours. The locals call it “Three best days” in the year. All the lights in the city center are turned off and over 200 painted lanterns fill the streets along with hundreds of drummers and piccolo players marching together showing cohesiveness. This is known as Morgestraich that fill the streets. Participants in the parading is required to remain in incognito, parades are often disguised behind political, celebrity, satirical figures. This brings social cohesion through social criticism, making this unique carnival inclusive and overall great for the social dynamic of the city. The Carnival of Basel in Switzerland has been inscribed to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017. You can watch "The Carnival

Kumbh Mela: India’s pilgrimage to the holy waters

Kumbh Mela of India is considered the largest peaceful gathering in the world. In 2013 during the two months period of Kumbh Mela, an estimated 120 million people visited their holy waters, including 30 million people moving in a single day. Kumbh Mela can be defined as a mass Hindu pilgrimage of faith to one of four of these holy water sites: Allahaba, Haridwar, Nashik district, and Ujjain. The Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years, and around 3 years difference between the Haridwar and Nashik gathering. The origins of the festival is unknown, but according to Hindus, Lord Vishnu spilled drops of Amrita (drink of immortality) in the four places identified as the present day sites of the Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela plays a vital role of spirituality and the beliefs of Hindus in India. The day includes all Hindus regardless of caste, creed, or gender to gather in the holy waters. The 12 year gap is calculated by astronomy, astrology, spirituality, and the tradition of Indian pilgrimage. Knowledge and skills related

On-Site training workshops with community members: Jalal-Abad province

On 6-8 September : 2019 Aigine CRC is conducting on-site training workshop for sacred site guardians: pilgrims: traditional practitioners and members of working group of Jalal-Abad province.The main objectives of the workshop is to familiarize the participants with the UNESCO 2003 Convention on Safeguarding ICH: to develop sacred site and pilgrimage practice safeguarding measures: as well as to conduct cross validation of the sacred sites and rituals of Jalal-Abad province.The training workshop is held in the framework of the project "Safeguarding of Practices and Rare Rituals Related to Sacred Sites in Kyrgyzstan: Preparation of an Inventory and Safeguarding Measures'.

National level Nandi dance festival

Event Venue ;- spy Reddy Kalavedika:Townhall Nandyal:kurnool- dist: Andhrapradesh : India- 518501 : cell; 09908725084 : Email ;- srisainatyanjali@gmail.comwe are doing on cultural programes: Kuchipudi: Bharatnatyam: Andhranatya: Kathak: Kathakkali: Mohiniattam: Manipuri: Perininatyam : Odissi : yakshaganam:Janapadham : Folk and Tribal dance :all Indian Traditional dance Etc

Knucklebone shooting: embodiment of folk Mongolian national folk game

The technique of Knucklebone shooting demands high accuracy as well as precision and might seem somewhat similar to bowling, with the object of the game being to knock down more of the ankle bones than your opponent. During the shooting tournaments shooters communicate with each other not with words, but in a specific manner of singing of traditional "Knucklebone Shooting" melodies. Each tournament last for 2-3 hours depending on the scale and type of the competition. It demands high tolerance and endurance from competitors as they sit and rise up to 50-60 times as they compete, as well as maximum precision of sight and accuracy of fingertips performance. It is also a magnificent tradition that, in respect of their seniority, some elder players of 60-90 years of age are allowed to use their "Chavkh" or "Shooting bow". Team members are tied by unbreakable internal bonds and follow clear ethical rules of mutual respect and dignity. No conflicts and contentions can be tolerated within or between the teams as cer

2019 Jeonju International Awards Ceremony will be held in South Korea on September 27,2019

Event: 2019 Jeonju International Awards Ceremony for Promoting Intangible Cultural HeritageDate/Time: Friday: September 27th 2019/ 10:00- 16:10 Location: Jeonju Hanbyuk Performance Theater: Jeonju: South Korea *A registration will be done on the same day; all visitors are welcomed to attend the event and other programs. The first Jeonju International Awards has been elaborately prepared and the long-awaited awards ceremony will be held on September 27th in Jeonju: South Korea. The awards ceremony is also rich in programs. Opening this year for the first time: the awards had gained great positive feedback from around the world. Forty-eight applicants from 36 different countries applied for the awards. However: only three applicants (individuals and organizations) were selected as finalist. The selection process was challenging as all applicants demonstrated good practices for the safeguarding of ICH with their courage and lofty spirit. In the future: Jeonju will continue to honor those who have contrib

Kolo: Serbian circle dance

Kolo is a Serbian circle dance that involves the dancers holding each other’s hands or each other’s waist, forming a chain of dancers that revolve in circle. Kolo has different but similar forms throughout Southeastern Europe and phonetically ~oro or ~olo maintains in calling this art of circular dance. Kolo is mainly performed at weddings, religious ceremonies, and any other social gatherings. The participants are both male and female, although there are parts to the dance where it requires one gender to take over as the main role. Traditional attire of Kolo involoves the men having to wear caps, loose blouse tucked into their pants that balloon around their thighs and eventually tightening from the knee down to the ankles. The women have to wear king white embroidered dresses with velvet aprons tied at their waist. The sustainability and transmission process of Kolo is both protected and processed on a national and regional level as it is not only a symbol of national identity but also has regional and loca

The Big songs of Fergana Valley in Uzbekistan: Katta Ashula

The Fergana Valley of Uzbekistan is a diverse place, just as the songs of Katta Ashula reflects. Folk singers from Uzbeksitan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have mastered the Katta Ashula. Two to five singers hold the performance in turns without music. The singers use small plates or trays to make sound hence being call Likobi Ashula (plate song). Katta Ashula requires special training, a strong voice and the ability to improvise. It is usually performed on special occasions such as wedding parties, new year parties, and other holidays. Katta Ashula is transmitted orally from master to pupil. This oral transfer of Katta Ashula has been the main method of preserving the music as well as its spiritual values. As Katta Ashula reflects the inner feelings, hopes, loves, and attitudes of the natives it is imperative that this spirit is transferred from one master to one pupil. Katta Ashula was inscribed in 2009 to the representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. You can watch "Katta Ashula" on

Madur and Patachitra at Hungary Heritage House

2 traditional handicraft artists from rural West Bengal (Patachitra and Madur weaving) have reached Budapest on 13th Aug. Hungarian Heritage House is hosting a Patachitra exhibition starting 15 August onwards. On 17th onwards the Handicraft artists will be at Festival of Folk Arts at Buda Castle. Request all friends to please visit both the exhibition to be at held at Hungary Heritage House House ground floor Exhibition Hall and then the festival of Folk Art at Buda Castle. Aug 15 is India's Independence Day (73rd year of Independence) and we are happy that Indian Ambassador in Budapest will inaugurate the exhibition at 5 pm on 15 Aug.

Flamenco of Spain: Andalusia Region State of Mind in motion

Andalusia of Spain is a hotbed for multicultural assets as it borders the Iberian Peninsula. Cross cultural interchanges between the native Andalusians, Romani, Castilians, Moors, and Sephardi Jews have made this region rich in unique art. Flamenco is one of them. This complex set of motions able to express joy, fear, triumph, and sadness is quite an unique set of motions. The performers differ in style and techniques depending on the sex; as males use more of their steps aggressively and profoundly in motion, as females use much more sensual movements often suggesting their vulnerability with more grace in their movements. Toque or the art of guitar playing is the choice of music accompanying the Flamenco, as well as the castanets along with hand clapping and foot stamping. Flamenco has become a staple in community fairs, religious festivals, as well as in private groups in a more casual setting. Flamenco is inscribed to the 2010 list of representing Intangible Cultural Heritage. The transmission process is

YAKSHAGANASHTAKAM

YAKSHAGANASHTAKAM- A workshop to revive Yakshaganana tradition of Nileshwaram: a place in Kasaragod district of Kerala in south India: that instilled the Malayalee audience for a long time. The eight-day long training workshop and performance based on the mythological story of Manikanda Vijayam (Mahishimoksham) by the performing artists of Chinmaya Yakshagana Kalanilayam of Kakkat and students of nearby schools.

2019 Asia-Pacific Youth ICH Storytelling Contest for Young Practitioners and General Youth

ICHCAP is holding Asia-Pacific Youth ICH Storytelling Contest for young practitioners and general youth and the deadline for entry submission for the contest is October 15: 2019. Please visit the link below to enter your submission. http://www.ichcap.org/mc/application.php/UNESCO prioritized youth as the main driver of innovation and change for sustainable development and emphasized youth participation. Especially: since intangible cultural heritage relies on community transmission: the role and participation of young people leading future generations is very important.Contentso A story on how future generations are transmitting specific ICH elements in the Asia-Pacific regiono A story that conveys the importance of safeguarding and sustaining Asia-Pacific ICH and its transmission by future generationso A story on practicing: safeguarding: and transmitting ICH with community-based youth participation in the Asia-Pacific regionEntry Qualifications: o Youth in the Asia-Pacific region (Born 1983-2001)Submissi

Chogan: Horse Riding Sport and Cultural Ambassador of Iran

Chogan has its roots from ancient nomads of Iran dating back to 1st century BC. Chogan has since spread throughout the world and is played in over 100 countries. Chogan of Iran is considered a national treasure as well as a sport. Spectators of Chogan bring their whole families to the occasion often cheering, dancing, and listening to the narrator of Chogan, The sport it self is rather simple, two opposing teams go on horsebacks and try to hit the ball from their mounted horses into the opponent’s goal post with wooden sticks. The spectacles surrounding the sport enjoy music, handicrafts, and narration. This unique nature of Chogan combining all the cultural identity of Iran in the midst of a horseback sport happening for the crowd is fascinating. Chogan has historically been part of a noble activity but in recent years, it has become more of a national sport that everyone can take part. The transmission process of Chogan happens within families of in workshops. The government of Iran has also been in support

Green Ivory - An Exhibition on Shola Craft of Bengal

The project ‘Revival of Shola Craft Tradition of Bengal’ implemented by banglanatak dot com supported by The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Kolkata; is an attempt to revitalize the traditional art of Shola of Bengal.Shola (Aeschynomene aspera) is a milky white: delicate spongy plant found in the marshlands of Bengal. The pith of the reeds of the plant is used to make items of decoration. This exhibition Green Ivory is an attempt to showcase the variations that the craft offers and create a platform for discussing how the craft can be taken forward. The varieties of unexplored ritualistic: decorative and contemporary products of Shola will be showcased during the exhibition.

Chidaoba: Art of Georgian Jacket Wrestling

As a Georgian proverb says: even a dog won’t bite a man who has fallen down. The wrestlers of Chidaoba learns about vulnerability and respect towards the fallen opponent. It is an old sport of Georgia as many in the country knows Chidaoba through social gatherings and festivals. Chidaoba is always accompanied by music, which is just as important as the distinctive jacket worn by the participants called “Chokha”. The participants can range from young kids all the way up to older folks who all participate in the hopes of defeating their opponent who are often similar in size and weight. Chidaoba is a form of martial arts but has lately become into an entertainment spectacle that is so often accompanied by crowds that gather for the festivities. The rules are simple, take down the opponent on their shoulders without over turning them. A single match lasts 5 minutes and if the clear winner is uncertain, judges decide on the winner on points they made throughout the match, usually giving the more aggressive partic

Green Ivory

The project Revival of Shola Craft Tradition of Bengal by banglanatak dot com supported by The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Kolkata; is an attempt to revitalize the symbolic abstraction of emotion using Shola. Shola is a milky white: delicate spongy plant mostly found in marshy lands of West Bengal: India. Exhibition Green Ivory is a part of the above mentioned project which will be held between 17 July and 19 July: 2019 at Bengal Art Gallery: International Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR): Kolkata in India. The varieties of unexplored ritualistic: decorative and contemporary products of Shola will be showcased by the rural artists of West Bengal: India.

Green Ivory

The project Revival of Shola Craft Tradition of Bengal by banglanatak dot com supported by The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Kolkata; is an attempt to revitalize the symbolic abstraction of emotion using Shola. Shola is a milky white: delicate spongy plant mostly found in marshy lands of West Bengal: India. Exhibition Green Ivory is a part of the above mentioned project which will be held between 17 July and 19 July: 2019 at Bengal Art Gallery: International Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR): Kolkata in India. The varieties of unexplored ritualistic: decorative and contemporary products of Shola will be showcased by the rural artists of West Bengal: India.Green Ivory will provide the students with the opportunity of communicating and learning from Shola artists. Workshop schedule are as follows:July 17: 2:30pm - 4:30pmJuly 18: 11:30am - 1:30pm and 2:30pm - 4:30pmJuly 19: 11:30am - 1:30pm and 2:30pm - 4:30pm

Kurenti: Door to Door custom of Slovenia

From Candlemas to Ash Wednesday Kurenti practices of going from house to house to perform dances and form circles around the owners happen. The practice helps strengthen interpersonal bonds and is key to the regional identity of the communities concerned as it is believed that the noisy bell-ringing and brandishing of their wooden sticks chase everything evil away and bring happiness to those they visit. The Kurenti costume consists of sheep skins, girded with chains that hold huge cow bells, leg warmers and a headgear with horns or feathers, a pointed nose and a bright red tongue. It is the most distinctive among some 150 traditional costumes preserved in Slovenia. Kurenti was inscribed to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2017. Kurenti has been in transmission through regional communities, schools, workshops, and Federation of Kurenti Associations which oversees all of the processes. Kurenti knowledge and skills are most commonly transmitted within the family, but youngsters also learn from elde

Comedic Actors on the ropes: Jultagi

Jultagi is a Korean form of rope walking that consists of dancing, songs, and comedic dialogues by the rope walkers. What distinguishes this form of rope walking from others is that they do not just perform for the acrobatic nature of it, but rather the Jultagi performers make witty and comedic gestures as well as satire of world events as they do acrobatic moves. Although the exact dates of origin for this art form is unknown, Jultagi has been mentioned in historical documents as well as becoming one of pillars of traditional crowd gathering spectacle of Korea. Dating back to the 2nd century of Silla period in Korea, Jultagi has been associated with other crowd gathering spectacles, often times accompanying performers who would entertain the crowd with witty satire and masked in different forms of animals or folk heroes to garner the attention of the crowd. The transmission process of Jultagi is centered on Jultagi safeguarding association in Gyeonggi province, where masters and apprentices hone their skills

Kaustinen Intangible Cultural Heritage Seminar 2019 and Folk Music Festival (7/8/19-7/14/19)

Kaustinen Intangible Cultural Heritage Seminar 2019The impact of Unesco nominations on community-based safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage – experiences and practices.Date: July 13th: 2019 Location: Folk Art Centre: Museosali: Jyväskyläntie 3: Kaustinen: FinlandThe seminar’s aim is to elaborate the role and impact of Unesco’s lists of intangible cultural heritage in safeguarding cultural heritage. What effect have nominations brought to practitioners in different Baltic and Nordic countries? What ways are there to promote good safeguarding practices? What role might NGOs take in the process? What kinds of threats or downsides are there in following the safeguarding framework of the convention?In the seminar we’ll hear presentations reflecting different ICH elements from Norway: Sweden: Estonia: Latvia and Finland. Seminar is free of charge and held in English.Registration until 10th of July: anne.virkkala-harju@kaustinen.fi (Limited number of seats!)Kaustinen Folk Music Festival 2019The seminar is a

GOTHRAPOLIMA 2019

Gothrapolima the tribal arts workshop was conducted by Folkland and Dorf Ketal in collaboration with Gothrapperuma vellanthatta on 21st and 22nd June 2019. Gothrapolima - 2019 aims to introduce the tribal art forms and their influences to the new generation. Mulamchenda: Mangalamkali: Eruthukali: Alamikkali are the main folk arts on training workshops. Around 100 artists participated in the festival to showcase the above-mentioned art forms.

ON-SITE TRAINING WORKSHOPS WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS: OSH PROVINCE

On 13-15 June: 2019 Aigine CRC is conducting on-site training workshop for sacred site guardians: pilgrims: traditional practitioners: students of State University and members of working group of Osh province. The main objectives of the workshop is to familiarize the participants with the UNESCO 2003 Convention on Safeguarding ICH: to develop sacred site and pilgrimage practice safeguarding measures: as well as to conduct cross validation of the sacred sites and rituals of Osh province. The training workshop is held in the framework of the project "Safeguarding of Practices and Rare Rituals Related to Sacred Sites in Kyrgyzstan: Preparation of an Inventory and Safeguarding Measures'.

Coming of age for Japanese youth, Raiho-Shin

Raiho-Shin is a tradition for Japanese households in Tohoku, Hokuriku, Kyushu, and Okinawa regions. The Raiho-Shin is deities from the outer world, often the local people dressed in costumes that look scary and intimidating, especially to children. As the western world have Santa Clause that requires the children to be good throughout the year to receive presents, Raiho-Shin deities requires them to be good from their frightening visits on ward. The children are given mocha cakes on their backs for good luck while the adults prepare food for the deities visiting their household. Raiho-Shin has different traditions from regions to regions because they have differing social and historical contexts. The diversity of the Raiho-Shin rituals have made the traditions unique to the local practitioners and those that participate grow a sense of identity and affliction towards their environment from it. The practitioners of Raiho-Shin have transmitted their knowledge from each generation to the next with pride. It was

THIRUVARANGU

Thiruvathirakali a unique dance form performed in Kerala on the auspicious day of Thiruvathira by a group of women. As per Hindu mythology: this dance is what bought Kamadeva back to life when he had been burnt to ashes by Lord Shiva’s fury. The graceful movements of the dance are both enchanting and elegant. For strengthen the unity and power of women's we have organized the program. Over 100 women’s undergone one-month training organized by Folkland and performed on stage.

GOTHROTHSAVAM Tribal Fest - 2019

Gothrolsavam was organized for Mangalamkali (a tribal dance form) fest at Thayyanur: Kasaragod the northern tribal area in Kerala. Mangalamkali is an old traditional tribal dance form in Northern part of Kerala performed especially by “mavilas” and “Malavettuvas” community. The ritual dance form was performed occasionally at marriage functions of their community as a part of the entertainment. Certain unique and specific musical instruments called “thudi” which is made up of the timber of jack tree and the skin of goat were used by the performers.

THE 5th WORLD EPICS FESTIVAL 26-30 June 2019 Bishkek-Talas, Kyrgyz Republic

Preservation and development of distinctive and rare art is one of top priorities of the modern cultural society: whose aim is to preserve and increase cultural values of the humanity: strengthen national identity through expansion of international spiritual and cultural cooperation: creation of a platform for shaping sustainable environment: actualization and translation of epic heritage in the modern world. Narration is the most ancient genre of oral folk arts in many countries. This unique type of art has brought to our days the traditions of mythology: modes of transmission from one generation to another of national spiritual and moral values of peoples of the world. Rare texts of stories contain genetic: socio-ethical: spiritual traditions of development of nations. Each nation considerately preserves its roots: traditions and history. Getting these things across the next generation is a duty of every civilized state. Thereon the World Epics Festival was founded by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republi

Love Ballad of Malaysia: Dondang Sayang

The traditional Malaysian folk music Dondang Sayang is a collaboration of both the worlds, as Dondang Sayang is influenced by traditional Portuguese folk music. The typical Dondang Sayang consists of violinists, rebana players, and gong or tetawak players. The violinist usually play the primary parts of the Dondang Sayang as they provide counter melody to the vocal melody. The slow playing music is often about love or advice about love and kindness one should have for others. Inscribed in 2018 to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO, Dondang Sayang is highly praised within Malaysia. Originally performed at the Royal Palace for ceremonial events, it has since carried over to local communities all through out Malaysia. Two singers of the opposite sex who perform in quatrains often perform this love ballad. The Dondang Sayang is open to everyone in the community regardless of age, sex, or gender as it conveys the message of being kind and loving each other. The Dondang Sayang art form is being

Al Azi: Poetry of Arab Pride

Al Azi is a traditional poetry recital performed by a group of individuals without rhythmical or musical instruments. The Poems were first recited in battlefields after victory often citing the courage and generosity that exemplify the greatness of the poem’s subject. It consists of a full-rhymed poem based on traditional poetry and the lines of poetry are sometimes interposed with sayings and proverbs. Bearers and practitioners include the poet, performer, chorus and audience. The practice strengthens bonds and is connected with knowledge and practices related to nature. Al Azi was performed regularly by communities until the mid-1900s, when performances began to dwindle gradually. Due to development, thousands of inhabitants moved from the desert to urban areas, and the economic boom from 1970 to 1990 led to citizens abandoning employment in traditional sectors and the culture and arts associated with such activities. Al Azi was inscribed to the Intangible Cultural Heritage of United Arab Emirates in need o

On-Site training workshops with community members

On 6-8 June: 2019 Aigine CRC is conducting on-site training workshop for sacred site guardians: pilgrims: traditional practitioners and members of working group of Chui province.The main objectives of the workshop is to familiarize the participants with the UNESCO 2003 Convention on Safeguarding ICH: to develop sacred site and pilgrimage practice safeguarding measures: as well as to conduct cross validation of the sacred sites and rituals of Chui province.The training workshop is held in the framework of the project "Safeguarding of Practices and Rare Rituals Related to Sacred Sites in Kyrgyzstan: Preparation of an Inventory and Safeguarding Measures'.

The Lithuanian folk dance revival by the Lithuanian Ethnic Culture Society

Ethnic dance of Lithuanian folk dances were widely popular among the general population before World War II. Due do the suppression of traditional heritage during the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the folk dancing took a down turn in popularity. Many decades later the folk dance tradition is back thanks in large part due to the Traditional Dance club established in Vilnius in 2002 by the Lithuanian Ethnic Culture Society, The clubs are run mainly to spread and promote the almost lost social function of folk dancing. The suppression during the Soviet occupation has not deterred the main spirit of the performance, as it has now spread all over Lithuania and other European countries as well. What started out in small clubs in cafes, small restaurants, and halls have moved into much larger venues and have become a festival surrounding the folk dance itself. The Clubs are open to everyone and participants are able to learn dances from various Lithuanian ethnic regions and musicians perform live music with accord

Baile Chino, the dance and dreams of Chile

Baile Chino is Chile’s own heritage that consists of five differing styles each unique to the origin of the dance’s location. The dance consists mainly of a group of 12 to 30 people who are arranged in a hierarchical manner, mainly organized by men leaving the upper figure at the top, which is generally a man with a good career and older age. The whole brotherhood is organized to be in two rows, those who dance while playing their pivilcas, and who are accompanied by a tamborcillo. The dance performs series of jumps, jumping on one foot and then to the other. The dance begins in crouching and along with it the interpretation of the melodies, which represents a great physical effort for all the participants. The orgin of Baile Chino dates back to the pre-Colombian period of Chile, sometime between 900s and 1400s, the dance evolved with aspects from the indigenous culture and Hispanic contributions. The Baile Chino is distinguished by their costumes, musical instruments, accompanied by the unique steps and rhyt

Announcement of the 2019 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage

We express our sincere gratitude to all applicants for the 2019 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage. We recognize and deeply appreciate what you and your organizations have achieved with respect to the safeguarding and revitalization of ICH. The selection process was very challenging as all applicants demonstrated good practices for the safeguarding ICH with courage and lofty spirit. Only three applicants (individuals and organizations) were selected as finalists from forty-eight applicants from 36 countries on six continents. Jeonju City announces the following three finalist candidates for public verification as the final process for the 2019 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage. The finalist candidates can be found on the following link:http://www.cics.center/jiapich_Announcement/

KILUKKAMPETTY (Children’s Summer Camp)

Kilukampetty a four day long children’s camp on ICH was conducted by Folkland on the bank of Kavvayi backwaters at Edayilakkadu in Kasaragod District of Kerala State of India. This was the seventh year that the Folkland has been conducting the camp for School Children. Porattu Kali (Rural drama) Folksongs: Math game: identifying the indigenous herbs: Kite flying: Kathakali music: fishermen folklore: Padayani: etc. were included in this year’s program.

"Current problems in the study of intangible cultural heritage and the implementation of the Convention 2003. Contributions of BAS scientists"

In 2019: the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) has a jubilee - 150 years since its creation. In this occasion: in the period 17-19 October 2019: BAS: together with the Regional Center for Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Southeastern Europe under the aegis of UNESCO: organized an international scientific forum on the topic: "Current problems in the study of intangible cultural heritage and the implementation of the Convention 2003. Contributions of BAS scientists". Deadline for submission of applications for participation (author: institution: position: subject: summary with up to 800 signs) is June 15th: 2019. Application must be sent to ban_ich_rc@abv.bg The forum will be held in SOFIA: BAS: CENTRAL GOVERNANCE: GREAT HALL There will be also accompanying events as concerts: exhibition: etc. Transport and accommodation expenses are participants' obligation. Application form is in www.eaff.eu

2nd Jeonju-ChiangMai International Conference on Traditional Culture

This international conference is organized in order to exchange the knowledge of intangible cultural heritage between Jeonbuk National University of Jeonju and Chiang Mai University. The first conference was held in the city of Chiang Mai on August: 2018 hosted by the Chiang Mai Creative City of Crafts and Folk Arts (CCMCCFA): the UNESCO Creative City of Chiang Mai.

Living Cultural Heritage - Safeguarding, Practices, Information Technologies LCH-2019

Living Cultural Heritage -Safeguarding: Practices: Information Technologies LCH-201926 - 29 August 2019: Nessebar: Bulgaria www.eaff.eu Conference will be held in the frames of the IX World Championship of Folklore "World Folk 2019" organized by the European Association of Folklore Festivals - EAFF. The forum is aimed to the theme for preservation: presentation and digitization of the cultural heritage and has interdisciplinary nature. The leading purpose is the broad-spectrum interpretation of the concept of living cultural heritage. On the one hand - as a phenomenon of the living cultural practices and in general - as a scientifically systematized digital content of various tangible and intangible values from museums: archives: community centers etc. Sharing the Bulgarian and foreign experience in specialized and interdisciplinary scientific research: the exchange of modern information technology solutions as well: will be useful in achieving meaningful and technologically renewed living knowledg

Khon, the art of Thai masked choreographed movements

Khon is a masked dance of Thailand that combines the art of music, storytelling, dance, and handcraftsmanship of Thailand. Khon was inscribed into UNESCO’s ICH of Thailand in 2018. The overall choreograph along with the narrations depict the story of Rama, the incarnation of the God Vishnu. Although the exact dates of the origin of Khon is not known, it is widely accepted as having been performed since the Ayutthaya Kingdom period of 15th century. The main principle characters are humans, ogres, and the monkeys. The monkey characters play a major role in the Khon performance as the epic tales of Ramakien derived from the hindu epic Ramayana. Thai animism has given the ogre and monkey characters a spiritual significance, as they become part of the Thai identity through their movements. Khon used to only be performed by the royal family and men were only allowed to play the role of the hero. However in recent years Khon is enjoyed by all spectators from different social backgrounds and women are depicted in all

2nd Jeonju • Chiang Mai International Conference on Traditional Culture

○ Date: May 27th: 2019 (Monday)○ Time: 10am -6pm○ Theme: Exchange of intangible cultural heritage activities and Establishment of Crafts Network○ Host: The Research Center for Intangible Heritage and Information of CBNU: The Center for Intangible Culture StudiesOrganization : The Research Center for Intangible Heritage and Information of CBNU: The Center for Intangible Culture Studies: The Korea Traditional Culture Center○ Participants : Around 50 people (Professors: ICH activists: and students)This international conference is organized in order to exchange the knowledge of intangible cultural heritage between Jeonbuk National University of Jeonju and Chiang Mai University. The first conference was held in the city of Chiang Mai on August: 2018 hosted by the Chiang Mai Creative City of Crafts and Folk Arts (CCMCCFA): the UNESCO Creative City of Chiang Mai. They aim to exchange cases from two different cities for the safeguarding of ICH: ICH transmission: ICH revitalization: and SDGs of ICH. It will be a goo

Ethnic Japanese-Korean’s Arirang (From traditional folk music to the music of the largest minority group in Japan )

Center of cultural heritage studies at Jeonbuk National University and the center leaders in industry-university cooperation (Linc+) are co-hosting the event: Ethnic Japanese-Korean's Arirang. Date/time: 05.16.2018(Thursday) / 9AM-11AMLocation: Jinsudang Kain Hall at Jeonbuk National University: Jeollabukdo:South Korea Participants: Undergraduate and graduate students at Jeonbuk National University(College of liberal arts: college of engineering: intangible cultural heritage studies): researchers at Center of intangible cultural studies and others1. significance -Understanding the relationship between ethnic Japanese-Korean traditional music and social perimeter of the performance -Understanding the culture of the largest ethnic minority group in Japan-Through the music of ethnic Japanese Korean one can examine the problems regarding various anthropological identity: identity politics: multiculturalism: and cultural changes among ethnic Japanese-Korean2. Main Contents-Documentary <Arirang going over the hill:

Kaustinen Intangible Cultural Heritage Seminar 2019

Kaustinen Intangible Cultural Heritage Seminar 2019The impact of Unesco nominations on community-based safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage – experiences and practices.SAT 13.7. / Folk Art Centre: Museosali: Jyväskyläntie 3: Kaustinen: FinlandThe seminar’s aim is to elaborate the role and impact of Unesco’s lists of intangible cultural heritage in safeguarding cultural heritage. What effect have nominations brought to practitioners in different Baltic and Nordic countries? What ways are there to promote good safeguarding practices? What role might NGOs take in the process? What kinds of threats or downsides are there in following the safeguarding framework of the convention?In the seminar we’ll hear presentations reflecting different ICH elements from Norway: Sweden: Estonia: Latvia and Finland. Seminar is free of charge and held in English.Registration until 15th of June: anne.virkkala-harju@kaustinen.fiPROGRAM:11.30 Welcome to the seminar – Kaustinen fiddle playingMatti Hakamäki / Finnish Folk Music

KANYARVATTAM - 2019

- KANYARKALI - Kanyarkali is a special kind of folk dance ritual performance in village temples in Chittur region and Alathur region in Palakkad district of Kerala State of India. The event is basically a part of village’s “Vishu” celebrations and usually succeeds the Village Fair or Vela and is performed during April and May every year. The Kanyarkali are fast-moving: militant dances attuned to rhythmic devotional folk songs by the help of traditional instruments (Drums and cymbals). Kanyarkali is said to be originated from the pursuit of martial arts when the region was under threat of attack from nearby Konganadu. Kannyarkali arose when dance and comedy were added to the martial training sessions. The dances may in form of “Vattakali” (a circular movement in praise of Goddess) or folk theatre style. Kanyarkali is a performance that incorporates the essence of dance: drama: music: song: and martial skills. This art form is always performed by men at temples. Women are sometimes represented by cross-dressing

The Nan Pa’ch ceremony of Guatemala

“La Paach” is a word derived from pre-Hispanic origins of Guatemala. It is currently listed among the Urgent Safeguarding list since 2013. The four main essential components to the Nan Pa’ch ceremony of Guatemala are the following: The lords of the Pagon, The Parlimentos or God mothers, Assembly of elders, and the dance of the Paach. The ceremony is a corn-veneration ritual held in San Pedro Sacatepéquez, San Marcos in Guatemala for the purpose of good harvest. The ritual highlights the close connections that the people of San Pedros have with nature. The gatherers and participants pray in the Mam language as well as the ceremonial corncobs. The participants are mainly older farmers, both men and women who are pillars of their community. The Paach ceremony strengthens the identity of the community of San Pedro and its knowledge and respect for nature and its conservation. The transmission process is both oral and practical, with a group leader instructing new members at workshops and children accompanying the

Expert meeting on intangible cultural heritage in emergencies

DATE: 05/21/2019- 05/22/2019Location: UNESCO Headquarters: Paris (France)At the request of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage: UNESCO is organizing an expert meeting in UNESCO Headquarters: Paris: on 21 - 22 May 2019: with the generous support of the People’s Republic of China. The aim of the meeting is to discuss methodological guidance for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in emergencies.In this context: experts will address notably the two following dimensions: how is intangible cultural heritage itself disrupted and threatened under such circumstances and what can be done for its safeguarding; and: on the other hand: how can intangible cultural heritage be promoted: safeguarded or supported: as a critical means for rebuilding social cohesion: fostering reconciliation and/or facilitating recovery for communities confronted with situations of emergencies. The results of the meeting will be presented to the Director-General of UNESCO and su

National inventory: places, rituals, practices

Aigine Curltural Research Center (Kyrgyzstan) continues the inventory of sacred sites and related practices under the project " Safeguarding of Practices and Rare Rituals Related to Sacred Sites in Kyrgyzstan: Preparation of an Inventory and Safeguarding Measures." At this stage, desk researches are conducted on the basis of the organization’s previous field materials. The purpose of this researches is to compile national lists of sacred places, practices and rituals performed on places of pilgrimage. In the course of the desk researches, the lists of sacred sites are clarified and the rituals of each region are described. Interviews are also held with spiritual practitioners. Interviews are held in the format of real and online meetings, telephone conversations. The stage of desk research precedes the work with regional teams. On 20 February 2019, Aigine CRC conducted a preliminary workshop in the framework of the project. The main goal of the workshop was to discuss ways and patterns of inventorying rituals

Traditional Turkish Çini-making Craftsmanship

Turkish Çini are glazed tile and ceramic household items made from pulped clay are called Çini. This Çini-making craftsmanship dates back to the 12th century with its unique production methods such as ‘Minai’, Luster’, ’Polishing’, and ‘Underglaze’. Çini craftsmans can be described as having high ethical manners, knowledge of traditions, and the techniques in making Çini. The Turkish Çini-making has important cultural function in Turkey, as many of these ceramics are often baked in households. The next generation of Turkey can learn from the aesthetics of Çini, which are based on primarily the elements from the surrounding, such as geometric shapes, plants, and animal figures. The masters of Çini-making Craftsmanship must transmit their knowledge of supplying the raw materials, preparation and production of Çini-making, as well as general knowledge or significance of their art pieces. Çinis is a cultural process of making household items for the people of Turkey, it should be considered a national treasure. Y

Vallenatos Music of the Greater Magdalena

Traditional Vallenatos Music of the Greater Magdalena region has been listed among the urgently needing safeguarding from the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2015. The traditional music of Vallenato has the origins from Spanish, African, and Amerindian roots making this truly one of a kind art form a standout of Caribbean tradition. The typical instruments involved with Vallenatos music are the Accordion, Caja, Gucharaca, Bass, and Guitar. The origins of Vallenatos music are from famers of the region who had West African traditions of Griots(music of story teller). They traveled with their cattle in search of pastures and often song their style of griots music along with their indigenous Gaita flutes. They communicated through their music and it became a form of entertainment for the farmers traveling as it transmitted their current state. As the music for evolved with the introduction of European instruments such as the Piano and Accordion. Vallenatos music of Colombia still had its tunes, as many

The Chhau dance: The symbolism in bodily motions of our surroundings

Chhau dance: The symbolism in bodily motions of our surroundings The Chhau dance is every bit of mesmerizing feat, as the dancers depict nature, acrobatics, martial arts, and their folklore surroundings. The Chhau dance annually practiced in three regions; the Purulia Chhau in Purulia district of West Bengal, the Mayurbhanj Chhaun in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, and Seraikela Kharsawan district of Jharkhand. Masks are used in the Seraikela and Purulia Chhau dances but are not used in the Mayubhanj Chhau of Odisha. The Chhau dance of India was inscribed as one of the Intangible cultural heritages of the world by UNESCO in 2010. Many performers of the Chhau dance have special techniques and repertoires in their choreography, and transmits their dancing traditions orally. Many Chhau dances occurs during sun festivals, to honor and ritualize harvesting season. The Chhau dance draws in all the lifestyles during its festivities, resulting in the community and those surrounding it to come closer together. The Chha

Chinese Shadow Puppetry

Chinese Shadow Puppetry: The earliest forms of animation Chinese shadow puppetry has been known in china as one of the formal traditions that have entertained and displayed the social and dramatic history though puppetry. It was known to have cured a grieving emperor of losing one of his favorite concubine. The performers were able to sooth the pain of the emperor by having the faces of the deceased concubine played out in the form of puppetry. As the case, Chinese shadow puppetry can move hearts and mind of those that watches them. Thus, making them the best medium in exhibiting cultural ceremonies, religious rituals, funerals, weddings, and any other forms of entertainment. A talented puppeteers can make their art form run, dance, fight, laugh, sleep, and even die. The Chinese shadow puppetry is articulated through cut out figures, which are held against a source of light and a translucent screen in-between or against them. Just as a musical instrument needs to be played, these shadow puppets need to be man

The application for the World Martial Arts Union Membership is now open!

We cordially invite you to apply for the World Martial Arts Union membership. WoMAU organizes a variety of activities to enhance the visibility of the Traditional Martial Arts as the culture.Any traditional martial arts organizations meet the requirements for the WoMAU Membership are welcomed to join us by submitting the application via email or post by 31st May 2019 at the latest. The submitted application will be reviewed by the Membership Screening Committee before the final admission at the Annual General Meeting. You may refer to the requirements for the Membership from the WoMAU Statutes.http://womau.org/bbs/board.php?bo_table=e_b1x9&pageNum=1&subNum=9Ever since its birth in 2002: WoMAU has been continuously organizing the Annual General Meeting: the World Martial Arts Festival(currently biannual): and the Seminar at Chungju: Korea. Around 20 traditional martial arts performance teams from the Member Organizations across the world visit and demonstrate for each Festival.WoMAU will provide you with excel

Good practice from Finland: On Crafting – Discussion cards

The crafting discussion cards of Taito Group Finland promote interesting discussions about the art of crafting in the local community. Since 2016, Taito Group in Finland held these crafting meetings and made the initiative for the card series by hobbyists and professional crafters. The common bond amongst the group is about craft, and to talk about crafting as it cross section into its local culture. They published the On Crafting discussion cards in early 2018. The meetings along with the help of the crafting discussion cards make it a very useful meeting. The culture of crafting is discussed along with traditional ways and the modern changes that are coming to crafts. Not only do they make process but also help develop for open dialogue being able to improve their beloved traditions.“they enable comprehensive consideration and verbalising of the significance of handicrafts and crafting culture” which is the main purpose of On Crafting discussion cards. The discussion cards will give a new perception to craf

A National Inventorying Workshop

On March 17: 2019: Aigine CRC has started an inventorying workshop in Bishkek. Group members from all 7 provinces came with the goal to learn about the concept of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) reflected in the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and to discuss and work out local ways/ approaches to make inventories of sacred sites and related rituals and practices. An inventorying workshop will finish on March 18 and the regional groups will start their field activities in the provinces.The workshop is being conducted in the frame of the project "Safeguarding of Practices and Rare Rituals Related to Sacred Sites in Kyrgyzstan: Preparation of an Inventory and Safeguarding Measures": supported by the ICH Fund of UNESCO.

Study on status and value of Seodang culture and study of utilization plan

Korean Seodang has been a self-created educational space since the Three Kingdoms era and has been linked to Korean history and tradition. As such, there are Korean history, culture, and traditions in the Seodang and Seodang culture. However, as the present day, the Seodang and its culture are disappearing. The purpose of this study is to understand the status of Seodang culture and to enhance intangible cultural asset values of Seodang culture. In order to investigate the current situation of Seodang cultural tradition as a research method, various examples were collected and compared in regards with the environment, career and operation of each Seodang. I interviewed the Hoonjang(masters or teachers), adult students and schoolchild students in the field survey. The Seodang had many difficulties in operation. We could classify the operations of Seodang under the village seo-dang, the boarding seodang, the academic seodang, and the camp-style seodang. In Gochang, they operate a traditional Seodang that has 21

Asian Championship of Folklore - Asia Folk 2019

Location: Ulan Bator - Ulaanbaatar (Wikipedia): MongoliaOrganizersCulture and Arts Authority: the Government implementing agency of MongoliaWorld Association of Folklore Festivals - WAFF: European Association of Folklore Festivals - EAFF:ArtLar Cilturе NGO: World Folklore Academy With support: National Commission of UNESCO of Mongolia With financial and logistical support:Culture and Arts Authority: the Government implementing agency of MongoliaMinistry of Education: Culture: Science and Sport of Mongolia The marks of the participants appeared in the competition program of the Asian Championship of Folklore - 2019 are valid for ranking in the World ranking list of folklore.Basic InformationAsian Championship of Folklore - Asia Folk 2019 - will be held for the first time.Organizers hope this event high in importance to become one of the most important cultural events in Asia.Invited are folklore groups from all over Asia - Afghanistan: Australia: Azerbaijan: Bahrain: Bangladesh: Bhutan: British Indian: Ocean T

Baul songs of Bangladesh: Oral tradition of Bengalis mysticism

Baul had strictly been passed down in oral form as of the late 19th century. Their members consist mostly of Vaishnava Hindus and Sufi Muslims. The tradition was not written down until recent because many practicing Baul meant to leave literally nothing behind, including their practices of speaking of esoteric Bengali mysticism. The Bauls often live without family and wonder to practices of new approaches to divinity. From the outside, this can mean breaking the threshold of traditional religious ceremonies and beliefs. Since 2005, the Baul tradition of Bangladesh is listed as one of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by Unesco. The Baul songs represents the mind and body of the practitioner. Often times Baul musicians will have a single string instrument called Ektara on one hand and Bengalis style drum Duggi on the other enchanting about the human spirituality and the divine. Some have regarded Baul practitioners of having divine spirits, and others have interpreted them to be crud

Colombia is hosting next Committee for the Safeguarding of ICH in 2019

Colombia to host next Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019.The next annual meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage will take place from 9 to 14 December 2019 in Bogotá: Colombia. This decision was taken in Port Louis: Mauritius at the close of the thirteenth session of the Committee: which brings together the representatives of 24 States Parties to the UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Committee decides on measures to safeguard oral traditions and expressions: performing arts: social practices: rituals: festive events: knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts: which constitute intangible heritage.Reference from ICH UNESCO https://ich.unesco.org/en/news/colombia-to-host-next-committee-for-the-safeguarding-of-the-intangible-cultural-heritage-in-2019-00328

The 5th Workshop of UNESCO accredited NGO Association in Korea

The four UNESCO accredited NGOs(IMACO: WoMAU: CICS: KCHF of Korea are now having a workshop in Andong city: Republic of Korea.

Symbol of Costa Rican Hardwork: Las Carretas

Las Carretas is the national pride of Costa Rica. The Spanish whom brought their design to incorporate them into the Costa Rican coffee transport first introduced these Costa Rican Oxcarts. The original oxcarts did not work well in the terrain and climate of the new land. A native design aesthetically and functionally were needed to fit its environment. As the oxcarts became more adapted to Costa Rica, they took on their own identity. The families would make colorful designs of their surroundings onto the oxcarts making them unique. It became a status symbol among families distinguishing them according to their elaborate design and functions of the oxcarts. Las Carretas flourished in the 19th and parts of 20th century. The strong oxen would carry coffee, the Costa Rican national export, into unpaved roads and mountainous terrains. Although the invention of motor based vehicles would eventually take over the transportation, it became a symbol of hard work and the embodiment of the Costa Rican lifestyle. It app

National inventory: places, rituals, practices

Aigine Curltural Research Center (Kyrgyzstan) continues the inventory of sacred sites and related practices under the project " Safeguarding of Practices and Rare Rituals Related to Sacred Sites in Kyrgyzstan: Preparation of an Inventory and Safeguarding Measures."At this stage: desk researches are conducted on the basis of the organization’s previous field materials. The purpose of this researches is to compile national lists of sacred places: practices and rituals performed on places of pilgrimage. In the course of the desk researches: the lists of sacred sites are clarified and the rituals of each region are described. Interviews are also held with spiritual practitioners. Interviews are held in the format of real and online meetings: telephone conversations. The stage of desk research precedes the work with regional teams.On 20 February 2019: Aigine CRC conducted a preliminary workshop in the framework of the project.The main goal of the workshop was to discuss ways and patterns of inventorying rituals an

Bigwala : The warm welcome of royal African hospitality, dance, and song

Bigwala : The warm welcome of royal African hospitality, dance, and song Bigwala is Busoga’s music, dance, and performance of Uganda. It was historically performed infront of kings who would want their people to come together through their customary dance and music. Bigwala is formed from trumpet players ranging from four to five players who are joined by the people singing and dancing. The lyrics are often about uniting under Bigwala, marriages, and other customary norm of Busoga. The important message of Bigwala is about Busoga’s hospitality and by showing the unity through music, dance, and overall comradery in the villages; fellowship is formed. Currently there are only three living masters of Bigwala, who can precisely inherit their skills to the next generation. All three masters are of old age so letting the world know of this precious art form is necessary. Watch the video on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymWBjb1VzBc&t=10s References ICH UNESCO, Newvision (www.newvision.co.ug)

The 5th Workshop of UNESCO Accredited NGO Association in Korea

Date: March 5th: 2019 (Tuesday)Time: 14:00-20:00Place: Andong Grand Hotel: Republic of KoreaTopic: Enhancing the role of NGOs in the Intangible Cultural HeritageThe five UNESCO accredited NGOs in Korea conduct a workshop Spring and Fall each year to communicate and collaborate in order to strengthen the network. The 5th workshop will be organized by International Mask Arts and Culture Organization (IMACO) and the five NGOs take their turns once every 2 years hosting it. They will discuss enhancing the roles of NGOs in the Intangible Cultural Heritage sector. The five UNESCO Accredited NGOs Association in Korea (UANAK):Inter-City Intangible Cultural Cooperation Network (ICCN) - ICCNWorld Martial Arts Union (WoMAU)Center for Intangible Culture Studies (CICS)International Mask Arts & Culture Organization (IMACO)Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation (KCHF)

(Extended deadline)2019 Jeonju International Awards for Promoting ICH

The deadline for 2019 Jeonju International Award was extended until March 31st:2019. Please encourage ICH Communities and share about the Award for more participations and email at cics.center@gmail.com for more questions. 2019 Jeonju International Award for Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage will be held in South Korea’s cultural epicenter: Jeonju. This quite: slow city has had the moniker of the ‘Most Traditionally Korean City’ for many years. It is only fitting that the awards take place here in Jeonju to promote and preserve any safeguarding practices regarding Intangible Cultural Heritages. The Awards are meant to set an example of tolerance and congruity among the international ICH community. We are hoping to support and encourage all ICH practitioners to participate in this great event! Candidates for the awardsAwards are open to Living Human Treasures (practitioners): groups and communities: administrators: researchers: NGOs and those who have made substantial contributions for promoting Intang

Master’s TEMA Heritage Studies Program (including ICH) and scholarships are available!

Master’s TEMA Heritage Studies Program (including ICH) and scholarships are available in Europe! Applications must be sent before February 24:2019. The TEMA Erasmus Mundus master's program in heritage studies: funded by the European Union: will be offering 20 scholarships of a value of 30 000 euros for the two year period from September 2019 to August 2021. Scholarship: 30 000 euros over two years.Study Program: all students are required to spend the first semester in Budapest (Sept. to December 2019, and the other three at the partner university of their choice (EHESS in Paris: Charles University in Prague: University of Catania in Catania: Italy: or Laval University in Quebec City (Master's Program in Ethnology and Heritage)Languages of study: English and FrenchCo-graduation: Master's degree in the Erasmus Mundus program and Master's degree at the university of study.Deadline for submission of applications: 24 February 17h00Application forms: available on the website: https://mastertema.eu/

Bistritsa Babi, archaic polyphony, dances and rituals from the Shoplouk region

Bistritsa Babi are an elderly/multi-generational female vocal ensemble carrying on the traditional dances and polyphonic singing of the Shopluk region of Bulgaria. Bistritsa Babi has been part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2005. The Bistritsa Babi sing at two or three voices, and in different pitches. “Izvikvat” – lead the song while “Buchat krivo” – keep a continuous sound. This makes the harmonic music of Bulgaria a unique sound. People dance the “Horo” dance holding each other the belts of their traditional costumes when they hear the songs. You can see people performing these songs and dances at the ritual of “Lazaruvane” when young girls go around the village collecting eggs. See the video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=embqg-yKHNQ Reference Treasure quest https://heriquest.com/?p=37&l=2&c=9&id=288

Good practice from Norway: Dual-language, multi-ethnic storytelling

Good practice from Norway: Dual-language, multi-ethnic storytelling Oral traditions from Norway. Oral myths, fables, fairy-tales, legends are being told in Norwegian and in Sami. Because of the rapid pace of immigration leading to much more cultural diversity the oral tradition is changing. There are multiplicity of new story telling traditions. However these traditions are being looked over and their influence is not part of the larger schooling curriculum. Fortellerhuset, the storytelling house, was invited to the storytelling festival in Iran. It was told in English then translated by an interpreter. Audiences could understand oral traditions in a more playful and dramatic way by the performers with two languages. The storytelling was continued in Norway. Fortellerhuset had developed the performances, techniques and new two-language productions and it is being performed at libraries, schools and kindergardens. The aims of the storytelling begin to help people with non-Norwegian backgrounds to reconnect to

Sur Jahan - World Peace Music Festival 2019

Sur Jahan is an International Peace Music Festival that celebrates traditional world music.The 9th edition of Sur Jahan: an annual: non-ticketed: open-to-all World Peace Music Festival will be held at the eastern Indian city of Kolkata between 1 to 3 February and the popular tourist destination along Arabian Sea: Goa: between 6 to 8 February. Traditional music from India: Cape Verde: Egypt: Cyprus: Spain: Hungary and Northern Ireland will be presented. More Info: http://bncmusical.co.in/surjahan-detail.phphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM58v4rO8GM&feature=youtu.be

IX World Championship of Folklore "World folk 2019"

Location: Nessebar and the resort complex “Sunny Beach” (Wikipedia) The World Championship of Folklore "World Folk 2019" is organizing byThe World Association of Folklore Festivals - WAFF:The European Association of Folklore Festivals - EAFF:World Folklore Academy: Event Vacation. With the support of:UNESCO: IOV-WORLD: CID-UNESCOMunicipalities of Nessebar: Burgas: Pomorie and Obzor: Sveti VlasBasic InformationA special feature of the World Championship of Folklore "World Folk" is that all performances are recorded with professional audio and television equipment and the best of them are repeatedly broadcasted by 20 cable televisions in Bulgaria: by satellite televisions "Travel TV": "Rodina TV" and "Heros TV" with coverage across Europe: as well as by the Web Television "EuroFolkTV" at tv.eurofolk.com With these activities the main goal of the World Championship of Folklore "World Folk 2018“ is being realized and that is to protection and popularize the traditional folk arts through the enormous possibilitie

2018 ICH NGO FORUM : Meetings with Assistant Director-General

Meetings on ICH NGO FORUM with Assistant Director-General !

ICH NGO FORUM Steering Committee New Members!!

ICH NGO FORUM Steering Committee New Members !! Welcome !

ELECTIONS of ICH NGO FORUM Steering Committee

ELECTIONS of ICH NGO FORUMSteering CommitteePort-Louis: Mauritius

Ssirum : Traditional Korean Wrestling

2018 World Forum for ICH "Intangible Cultural Heritage and Peace"

The 2018 World Forum for Intangible Cultural Heritage themed with Intangible Cultural Heritage and Peace was finished successfully thanks to enthusiasm and active involvement of all the participants: and the great help and efforts of all the volunteers and staff members of the CICS: the secretariat. It was held at the Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju city for three days from October 25 to 27. The forum opened grandly with the keynote speech titled 'Intangible Cultural Heritage and Peace-making' by Marielza Oliveira: Director of UNESCO Beijing Office. Welcome performances: especially Jeollabuk-do Children's Korean Traditional Music Orchestra thrilled the audience the most.Also H.E. Amin Muhammad Dalhatu: embassador of Nigeria in Seoul: attended the open ceremony and congratulated the forum. All the interest showing from distinguished guests including Mayor of Jeonju city: representatives of other organizations: and experts working in the field of ICH led the forum to the successful event as well. The prais

Traditional Musical Instrument Masters' Knowledge and Technique

A musical instrument master is a person who possesses the ability or skill to make traditional musical instruments such as Gayageum, Geomungo, Janggu, Buk, Danso.

Falconry, a living human heritage

Falconry is the traditional activity of keeping and training falcons and other raptors to take quarry in its natural state. Originally a way of obtaining food, falconry is today identified with camaraderie and sharing rather than subsistence. It is mainly found along migration flyways and corridors, and is practised by people of all ages, men and women, amateurs and professionals. Falconers develop a strong relationship and spiritual bond with their birds, and great commitment is required to breed, train, handle and fly the falcons. Falconry is handed down from generation to generation as a cultural tradition by various means, including mentoring, learning within families and formal training in clubs. In the United Arab Emirates, Mongolia, Morocco, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, for example, falconers take their children to the desert and train them to handle the birds and build a relationship of trust with them. While falconers come from different backgrounds, they share common values, traditions and practices such

Tango

The Argentinean and Uruguayan tradition of the Tango, now familiar around the world, was developed by the urban lower classes in Buenos Aires and Montevideo in the Rio de la Plata baasin.Among this mix of European immigrants to the region, descendents of African slaves and the naives of the region known as criollos, a wide range of customs, beliefs and rituals were merged and transformed into a distinctive cultural identity. As one of the most recognizable embodiments of that identity, the music, dance and poetry of tango both embodies and encourages diversity and cultural dialogue. It is practised in the traditional dance halls of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, spreading the spirit of its community across the globe even as it adapts to new environments and changing times. That coommunity today includes musicians, professional and amateur dancers, choreographers, coomposers, songwriters, teachers of the art and the national living treasures who embody the culture of tango.Tango is also incorporated into celebra

The 1st CMCCFA International Conference with CICS of Chonbuk National University

CMCCFA presentation: Lanna Intangible Cultural Heritage and Ritual Beliefs-Alexandra Denes

The 1st CMCCFA International Conference in Chiang Mai

Ths 1st CMCCFA International Conferencewith CICS of Chonbuk National University in the City of Jeonju13 - 17 August: 2018At Chiang Mai UniversityThe Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization: in collaboration with the Faculty of Fine Arts Chiang Mai University: has lead the campaign to promote local crafts and folk art as part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network: Crafts and folk art of Chiang Mai have focused on participatory and collaborative activities between local communities and younger generations: including the development and submission of official membership application documents for the UNESCO Creative Cities Network On October 31: 2017: included among 64 cities from 44 countries within 7 creative fields: Chiang Mai was established as a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the field of Crafts &amp; Folk Art. Since then: Chiang Mai has continued to develop plans and strategies in co-ordination with the next generation of local artisans and members of ethnic groups: to support and

Latvian song & dance celebration Participation

Fun!!!

CICS at the ICHNGO platform in the 7th session of the General Assembly

CICS at the ICHNGO platform

Having wonderful time at 7. GA

Networking with other NGOs for safeguarding ICH is i nspiring!

Seventh Session of the General Assembly

Seventh Session of the General AssemblyThe seventh session of the General Assembly of the States Parties to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage takes place at UNESCO headquarters: Paris: from Monday 4 to Wednesday 6 June 2018. Over the three days: 177 States Parties will discuss a number of issues that are important for the safeguarding of living heritage around the world. In the margin of this Assembly: a series of side-events is being organized by the Secretariat under the global theme of ‘Tell your #living heritage story’. They will exhibit the richness of living heritage today and provide a platform for discourse and experience-sharing among the different actors involved in safeguarding: including the States: NGOs: youth and community members.

2018 International Martial Arts Contest

2018 International Martial Arts Contest (IMAC) is going to be held in October (26 – 28 Oct). WoMAU IMAC is a competition of martial arts performances that represents spirit and techniques of martial arts. This national competition is open to every martial artist capable of his or her martial performance regardless of nationalities: affiliates and events.

2018 WoMAU AGM

The 2018 WoMAU AGM will be held on 27 July in Ferghana: Uzbekistan: organized by WoMAU member organization: Uzbek Jang Sanati Federation. WoMAU Annual General Meeting is the highest legislative organ of the Union led by the President and the Chairperson of the General Meeting of WoMAU. It is an annual gathering of the representatives of WoMAU members and other interested in the event from 62 organizations over 42 countries to discuss ways to promote and cooperate for traditional martial arts activities.

The 2018 World Forum for Intangible Cultural Heritage

Venue : National Intangible Heritage Center: JeinjuTheme : Intangible Cultural Heritage and PeaceDate : October 25~27

Cultural events in PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games period

This February 2018: South Korea's Pyeongchang: acted as host city of the 2018 Winter Olympics. To commemorate this world's biggest sports event: 2018 PyeongChang Cultural Olympiad were also held. In part of this: IMACO was honored to join here. The 2 biggest cultural events that IMACO organized were; 1. World Mask Exhibition in Ganeung Olympic Live Site - A lot of visitors who came to see the olympic games visited here before they enter the stadium 2. Korea-China Peace Concert - This was also meaning for both countries: since the next winter olympic will be held in Beijing: China

2018 ICCN General Assembly

I am pleased to inform that ICCN(Inter-City Intangible Cultural Cooperation Network)is going to host the 2018 ICCN General Assembly in September 5 to 9 in Algemesi: Spain. I would like all ICCN members: experts and other cultural partners to particpate in the ICCN GA. During the GA: La Mare de Deu de la Salut: one of UNESCO ICH: will be held so that it will be a great opportunity to enjoy the UNESCO Festivity for us. At the GA: we have an international conference on the theme of "we want to know your heritage including an executive meeting and the general assembly meeing. In addtion: all participants will have a chance to attend the UNESCO festivity's parade and cultural activities.

Jeonju Declaration on "Intangible Cultural Heritage, a Resource for the City of Today and Tomorrow."

Jeonju Declaration on "Intangible Cultural Heritage: a Resource for the City of Today and Tomorrow"- Adopted in Jeonju: Republic of Korea: Oct. 28: 2017We: the participants of the 2017 World Intangible Cultural Heritage Forum (hereinafter referred to as the "Forum") express our sincere gratitude to the officials of Jeonju City: the National Intangible Heritage Center of Korea and the Center for Intangible Culture Studies (Jeonju). In particular: we are thankful for the possibility of holding in-depth discussions under the auspices of Mayor Kim Seung-soo and the Director Cho Hyun Jung of the National Intangible Heritage Center. The importance of intangible cultural heritage in cities is becoming increasingly apparent. According to the spirit of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and in light of the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030: the significance of intangible cultural heritage and its safeguarding cannot be underestimated. In particular: we recogn

The 3rd Workshop of UNESCO Accredited NGO Association, Korea [UANAK]

The 3rd Workshop of UNESCO Accredited NGO Association: Korea [UANAK] The five UNESCO accredited NGOs in Korea gathered in Chungju for a workshop to share information and strengthen networks organized by WoMAU (World Martial Arts Union) on February 22: 2018. Due to the Pyeonchang Winter Olympic Games: the related organizations became very busy and many of them could not participate in the workshop.Each organization reported its activities throughout the year 2017 and had an apportunity to share its initiatives and knowledge. All seemed different but verified the common goal of safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage. They made sure to keep up the good work to build up capacities of the regional NGOs. They all agreed to take a good advantage of the web-board (ichngo.net): for activating networks: that CICS (Center for Intangible Culture Studies)has launched. The web-board is now being launched as a Beta version and being tested. It is believed that it would be a promising to boost networks both in accre