Training of Trainers on Digitizing Mongolian Intangible Cultural Heritage: First Stepstowards the Establishment of a National Inventory and Electronic Database of Mongolian Intangible Cultural Heritage

24-27October 2016 

 

The Center of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia will hold a four-dayworkshop this week in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to train cultural policy decision-makers on the digitization of Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage(ICH) as part of the directive for the implementation of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the IntangibleCultural Heritage.

A local plays the Morin Khuur (a two-stringed fiddle) during a camel coaxing
ritualin Mongolia © Yu. Boldbaatar 2011

An expert in digitization from China will conduct the training of over 50 provincial officers from all 21 provinces in Mongolia on techniques and methods to transfer the present database of ICH from the current analogue format into a digital one.

The workshop is being organized in accordance with theMongolian National Commission for UNESCO and eight other national facilitatorsand is based on the current needs of the National Inventory and human capacityin Mongolia.

The aim is to offer effective safeguarding of the ICH in Mongolia, through the digitization of the Inventory which has been recommended to conform to the UNESCO framework for inventorying and furthermore to establish a facility of experts to be mobilized in the future for additional training needs and for providing guidance at the provincial and local level inconducting and digitizing inventories.

This activity follows capacity-building efforts carried out within the framework of the UNESCO/Japan Funds-in-Trust project “Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritagethrough Strengthening National Capacities in Asia and the Pacific” on implementation of the 2003 Convention (2012), community-based inventorying(2013), elaboration of nomination files (2015) and most recently on the preparation of safeguarding plans (2016).

Traditional Mongolian calligraphyusing classical
Mongolian script © Jalair Batbayar D 2010

In particular, lessons learned from UNESCO-accredited facilitators in the past trainings will be applied utilizing contextualized UNESCO materials and emphasizing the social function,cultural meaning and viability of ICH elements, as the existing registryfocuses rather on individual practitioners.

This approach is aimed at facilitating the consolidation of inventories, documentation at the provincial level and access for local communities and national authorities.

Apractitioner demonstrates Mongolian bow and arrow craftsmanship
at a 2016 ICH SafeguardingWorkshop ©Center of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia 2016