The event organized by VICAS to commemorate the launch of ichLinks © ICHCAP

In 2021, ICHCAP launched the information-sharing platform ichLinks (www.ichlinks.com), a one-stop online platform where people can easily meet a wide range of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) information and content shared by Asia-Pacific countries. In relation to ichLInks, special events were recently held in Vietnam and Kazakhstan to promote the platform and discuss ICH safeguarding in these countries.

First, on November 15, the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS, hereinafter referred to as the Institute) held an event to commemorate the launch of ichLinks with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam and the Vietnam National Commission for UNESCO.

At the event involving more than twenty Vietnamese cultural experts, VICAS introduced ichLinks as a platform where Vietnam’s ICH can be promoted to the public around the world and Vietnamese public access a variety of ICH information of other Asia-Pacific countries in return. VICAS also underscored the significance of the ichLinks project by emphasizing that establishing a network with overseas institutions can facilitate the development of the cultural heritage market in Vietnam and among related countries.

Public online forum held by the Kazakhstan ICH Committee © Kazakhstan ICH committee

Meanwhile, public online forum and ICH webinar were held in Kazakhstan. The Kazakhstan ICH Committee organized a public online forum for 26 and 27 October to discuss safeguarding and the promotion of the eleven Kazakh ICH elements inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List. About seventy stakeholders including ICH communities and bearers, artisans, museum staff, researchers and experts who participated in the forum expressed their expectation to learn more from the other countries’ good practices within the framework of the ICHCAP’s ichLinks project.

ICH webinar held on November 24 © Kazakhstan ICH committee

The second ICH webinar, held on 24 November, discussed two main themes: (1) Central Asia’s good practice in revival of crafts, skills, and traditions and (2) new digital approaches in presenting the cultural heritage of the Asia and Pacific region. Twenty-four experts from Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Vietnam, and Bhutan showed high expectations for the role of ichLinks in raising public awareness and developing various content that can help ICH transmission.

ICHCAP is encouraging to have various events to introduce and promote the ichLinks platform and hopes that ichLinks’ partner organizations will promote and introduce the platform so more stakeholders can participate in and visit ichLinks in the future.