2021 edition of the World Forum for Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH World Forum) © ICHCAP

The 2021 edition of the ‘World Forum for Intangible Cultural Heritage’ is bringing together key institutions from the Asia-Pacific region. It is hosted by the National Intangible Heritage Center in Seoul and the UNESCO Category 2 Centre ICHCAP. This joint initiative will be held online from September 29th to October 1st. The fifth edition of the Forum brings together speakers from all around the world, discussing intangible cultural heritage and presenting concrete examples of innovation through living heritage. It can be followed live on YouTube in English and Korean. The full programme is available here.

On 30th September, in parallel to the ‘World Forum for ICH’, the ‘2021 ICH Youth Summit’ will be held. Youth representants coming from more than twenty countries will gather to discuss the meaning of ICH within the regional context and its transmission amongst generations. It will be the occasion for the official launch of the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage Youth Forum’, which will remain active in the region after the ‘World Forum for ICH’.

Workshop on ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development’ jointly organized by International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (UNESCO ICHCAP), UNESCO Bangkok, and Ahmedabad University © ICHCAP

Happening at the same time, a workshop titled ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development’ is being organized by ICHCAP, UNESCO Bangkok, and Ahmedabad University. Designed for early-career researchers and heritage professionals in the Asia Pacific region, it aims to address the need for awareness raising and capacity building in the regional context. Participants will actively take part in the ICH World Forum. After two weeks of seminars, lectures and discussions, participants will be asked to develop a sustainable safeguarding project for an ICH element of their choice.