The opening ceremony of the Zaozhuang Base.

The opening ceremony of the Zaozhuang Base established by the International Training Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO was held at Taierzhuang Old Town, Zaozhuang on Dec 28, 2012.

Liu Qian, deputy director of the Chinese National Academy of Arts and a leader in Shandong province at the opening ceremony.

The International Training Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the Auspices of UNESCO (the center), was established with the approval of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China and an agreement between the Chinese government and UNESCO. It promotes protection of intangible cultural heritage in 48 countries (regions) in the Asia-Pacific region through international training and cooperation. Since the center was established it has adhered to the spirit of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and the principle of “improving involvement of community, groups and individuals”. It has held international training and exchanges with the intellectual support and teacher resources of UNESCO. To guarantee that every relevant country and region can reap the benefits from the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and to enhance its own professionalism and internationalism, the center will select several intangible cultural heritage items and successful cases for protecting them in the Asia-Pacific region. The center is willing to take a positive part in international exchanges of intangible cultural heritage.

Zaozhuang has emphasized the protection of intangible cultural heritage during the transformation from a resource-exhausted city to one that develops its culture industry. It has figured out a new path to protect cultural heritage and promote sustainable development in the region though various activities and events. Taierzhuang Old Town, a culture sector built on its historical site, not only plays a vital part in exhibiting, inheriting and protecting intangible cultural heritage, but also helps to build a platform for exchange and cooperation by hosting the “2nd Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo,” “The 3rd Cross-Straits Chinese Character Art Festival“ and many other major events.