A workshop will be held in Seoul to examine the latest news and trends related to the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereinafter referred to as the 2003 Convention) and to discuss the current status and future of the ICH elements that has been listed. The workshop, hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea and organized by ICHCAP (hereinafter referred to as the Center), will be held on November 16th at The Plaza Hotel in Seoul, under the theme of “Activities and Challenges after being inscribed as the UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” The event is expected to be a gathering of key stakeholders in South Korea to examine the here and hereafter of 2003 Convention and the listed ICH elements.

The first session examines the recent trends in UNESCO’s Cultural Policy and the 2003 Convention. With the recent approval of the new UNESCO’s Medium-Term Strategy for 2022-29 (41 C/4) and changes in the listing mechanisms and priorities of the 2003 Convention, the emerging global agenda for the protection and safeguarding of cultural heritage will be examined. Moreover, this session will strategically examine the changes and impacts of ICH safeguarding policies in Korea regarding this global agenda.

The next two sessions will look at how the intangible heritage protection agenda and policies are being applied in practice. It highlights how the scope and role of stakeholders within the 2003 Convention have changed and examines Korea’s domestic and international efforts to keep pace with these trends. In addition, the criteria for the evaluation of the implementation of the Convention, such as the overall results framework, and its direction will also be reviewed.

In the final session, the nomination process of Korea’s ICH elements listed as intangible cultural heritage of humanity and subsequent activities being taken after the inscription will be shared. From “Ssirum, Traditional Korean Wrestling” which was a joint listing of North and South Korea, to “Tugging Rituals and Games” jointly listed on the initiative of Korea, “Culture of Jeju Haenyeo,” which was not included in the category of the National Intangible Heritage List but was finally listed on the Representative List, “Arirang,” which celebrates the 10th anniversary of its inscription this year, and “Talchum, Mask Dance Drama,” which is awaiting on the list subject to be examined by the 17th Intergovernmental Committee this year, it is expected that in-depth discussions such as the challenges faced will be conducted through the comprehensive discussions that follow.

The Cultural Heritage Administration and the Center hope that the workshop will not only share information and the latest international trends related to ICH safeguarding, but also contribute to raising awareness of safeguarding activities in Korea from a strategic perspective, as a country taking the lead role in safeguarding ICH.

Due to COVID-19 quarantine and restrictions of the venue, only those who have registered in advance may attend. and please contact the Center for further inquiries (063-230-9742).