Adelegation of 18 from the Department of Cultural Promotion of Thailand’s Ministry of Culture visited CRIHAP on the morning of May 27. They came for an academic visit and to exchange knowledge with the centre’s staff members.

Mr. Liang Bin, Director-General of CRIHAP, delivered a warm welcometo the Thai delegation, saying that CRIHAP was willing to provide training in the field of intangible cultural heritage for Thailand under the framework of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage 2003. The first training workshop held by the centre in Thailand in 2018 received good response. The second one will be held in Thailand in June this year. Liang said that he hopes for both countries to partner on more programs in the future. At the same time, he also said he hopes that Thailand can strengthen publicity regarding intangible cultural heritage training. That way the Thai people will know more about the capacity-building training under the framework of the Convention and make five-day training workshops more effective. In addition, Liang said that CRIHAP, as a category 2 centre established by UNESCO and the Chinese government, is willing to build a platform to promote cultural exchanges between China and Thailand.

Ms. Archaraporn Pongchavee, head of the Thai delegation and Deputy Director-General of the Department of Cultural Promotion of Thailand’s Ministry of Culture, thanked CRIHAP for its capacity-building services and intellectual support in the field of intangible cultural heritage. She said training of trainers on inventorying intangible cultural heritage held by CRIHAP in Thailand last year provided effective help and support for the promotion of knowledge and the ability of Thai officials in ICH, and the work of nomination in Thailand. She also said she hopes that the training of trainers on safeguarding plan development to be held in June in Thailand will achieve similarly positive results.

During the visit, representatives of the two sides briefed their own institutions, and spoke of their hope for further cooperation with each other in the field of intangible cultural heritage.

After visiting CRIHAP, the Thai delegation, on the recommendation of CRIHAP, held talks with Mr. Han Ziyong, President of the Chinese National Academy of Arts, Director-General of the China National Centre for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage. Han briefed the Thai group on the research, education and artistic creation of the Chinese Academy of Arts.