In recent years, CRIHAP took an active role in carrying out training on capacity building, which has earned high praise from the Secretariat, especially the workshop on Ratification and Implementation of the 2003 Convention in South-Pacific countries, held in Australia in October 2015, which has achieved remarkable results. It provided training for many South Pacific countries, including State non party, effectively promoting the process of the ratification of the Convention in the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu and better implementation of the Convention in contracting states.

The Secretariat again emphasized the demands for Category 2 Centres under the guidance of the document Integrated comprehensive strategy for category 2 institutes and centres under the auspicious of UNESCO (37C/93).

It also gave credit to CRIHAP for its work in holding Training of Trainer Workshop on Safeguarding Plans and Policy Support for Intangible Cultural Heritage for Facilitators from Asia-Pacific Region in 2015, the 3rd Annual Coordination Meeting of Category 2 Centres Active in the Field of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the Workshop on Capacity Building for Transmission and Sustainable Development of Traditional Craftsmanship jointly held with UNESCO Beijing Office in Shenzhen in June 2016.

CRIHAP will continue to support the work of UNESCO headquarters on the aspect of capacity-building training, maintaining good communications with UNESCO headquarters and regional offices and taking an active role in promoting sustainable development.

It will also cultivate a batch of facilitators who can speak Chinese and Russian, and promote the capacity building of safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific region.

Furthermore, CRIHAP discussed with UNESCO headquarters and regional offices about the relevant issues of a training workshop for Russian facilitators in Kyrgyzstan and a training workshop for Chinese facilitators in China to be held by the CRIHAP.

Iran’s Category 2 Centre will host the fifth meeting of Category 2 Centres in 2017, which has been approved by the Secretariat.