The opening ceremony of the Training of Chinese Trainers Workshop on the implementation of the 2003 Convention takes place in Suzhou, China, on April 17, 2017.


Chen Tong, Director-General of Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China’s Ministry of Culture, attends and addresses the opening ceremony of the second training session.


Deputy Director of Intangible Cultural Heritage Department Wang Chenyang speaks at the opening ceremony.

The Training of Chinese Trainers Workshop on the implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage took place at the Suzhou Art & Design Technology Institute in Suzhou on April 17, 2017.

The workshop was jointly hosted by the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China’s Ministry of Culture, as well as the UNESCO’s Beijing Office, the International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (CRIHAP), and the Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture. The event was organized by the Suzhou Art & Design Technology Institute and the Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Press and Publication.

The workshop was attended by Chen Tong, Director-General of Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China’s Ministry of Culture, Wang Chenyang, Deputy Director of Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage of China’s Ministry of Culture, Marielza Oliveira, Director of UNESCO Beijing Office, Himalchuli Gurung, Programme Specialist for Culture of UNESCO Beijing Office, Wang Jian, Director of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture, Sun Lihua, Party Secretary of Suzhou Art & Design Technology Institute, and Chen Fei, Investigator from the Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Press and Publication. The opening session was chaired by the Director-General of CRIHAP Liang Bin.

Speaking at the event, Wang Chenyang said, since 2015, China’s Ministry of Culture has initiated the Training Plan of ICH Inheritors in order to strengthen the capacity building, deepen transmitters’ understanding on excellent Chinese traditional culture, and improve the ability of inheritance and recreation. He hoped the training course would enhance trainees’ understanding of the 2003 Convention, and pass on its spirit to students and the general public. He also wanted the workshop to create an environment for learning about the 2003 Convention, as well as the Law of Intangible Culture Heritage Protection.