ICHCAP will hold a meeting to enhance ICH education in the Asia-Pacific region from 28 to 30 August at the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, Korea. The meeting is co-hosted by ICHCAP and the UNESCO Bangkok Office and supported by the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea.

The meeting will bring together educational experts, teachers, cultural experts, members of international organizations, and other stakeholders to discuss the ICH education status in schools in the Asia-Pacific region. Over fifty experts from thirteen Asia-Pacific countries, including Mongolia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, East Timor and Bhutan, will participate in the meeting. ICHCAP and the UNESCO Bangkok office conducted a survey on ICH education for UNESCO associated schools in the Asia-Pacific region, and the results of the survey will be presented at the meeting. Based on the results, the participants will understand the current awareness of ICH and challenges in the schools, and discuss the possibility of a joint project. The meeting will also feature the presentation of case studies with regard to ICH education in the Asia-Pacific region and in Korea.

The meeting will be held concurrently with the 2019 East Asia Regional Meeting of National Commissions for UNESCO at the same venue. Joint sessions are planned, including a session on ‘the implementation progress towards Sustainable Development Goals in East Asia and the challenges’. The outcomes of the meeting will be demonstrated through a pilot project, and they will also be reflected in the Overall Results Framework for the 2003 Convention as a reference material. UNESCO adopted the framework to assess how well the Convention is implemented in each States Party and help them with capacity building. Related indicators and case studies have been developed as well. The framework will be applied to periodic reporting, starting from 2020.

The awareness about ICH education is still low both in Korea and abroad. The meeting is expected to foster the promotion and safeguarding of ICH in schools through collaboration among experts in education and ICH. ICHCAP hopes that this meeting will help enhance educational and cultural networks in the Asia-Pacific region and invigorate research on ICH education as part of an institutional education system.