The ICH section of UNESCO held “The Second Joint Conference of ICH Category 2 Centers” on June 6 in Paris. The director of the section, the global capacity-building project leader and the coordinator in the regions of Category 2 Centers attended the conference. Also, representatives from eight centers (China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Brazil, Algeria, Bulgaria, and Peru) were also involved in the conference.

The conference had in-depth discussions on how to conform ICH Category 2 Centers to the requirements of UNESCO and how to serve the general strategy of UNESCO in the field of ICH.

The conference had intensive reading of the requirements towards ICH and Category 2 Centers proposed in Medium-Term Strategy for 2014-2021 (37C/4), Program and Budget for 2014-2017 (37/5), and A Comprehensive Strategy of Category 2 Organizations and Centers under the Auspices of UNESCO (37C/93). These three documents were passed at the 37th session of the UNESCO General Conference.

The conference pointed out that the ICH Category 2 Centers should strictly follow the requirements of the three documents mentioned above, and carry out construction and operation work in accordance with the comprehensive strategy of ICH Category 2 Centers lately drafted by the ICH section. Also, the ICH section presented the schedule of eight Centers being evaluated, reminding them of the preparation work.