The Training of Trainers Workshop on the 2003 Convention for China (Second session) (Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau), co-organized by the International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (hereinafter referred to as “CRIHAP”), the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, and the China National Centre for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage, was held in Foshan, Guangdong province from October 26 to 29, 2024. Nearly 20 university teachers, representatives of cultural departments, and Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) practitioners from relevant associations in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao participated in the workshop.

At the opening ceremony, Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representative of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, delivered a video opening remark. Deputy Director of the China National Centre for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage, Mr. Hao Qingjun, Consultant of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Division of the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, Mr. Liu Ge, and Director of the Foshan Museum and Foshan Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding Centre, Mr. Cao Xuequn, attended the opening ceremony. Prof. Shahbaz Khan emphasized that UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage is a cornerstone in our shared dedication to ICH safeguarding and transmission. Enshrining the values of diversity, dialogue, and respect, this vital international instrument reshapes our understanding of cultural heritage from monuments and collections of objects to also include traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants. He hopes that through thoughtful discussions, exchanges of insights and experiences, and mutual learning, this workshop will further enrich participants’ knowledge and skills and reinforce culture-driven sustainable development in China.

During the 4-day workshop, UNESCO facilitators Ms. Anna Wai Yu Yau and Ms. Ng Xin Yi delivered in-depth dissection of the 2003 Convention, covering basic knowledge, key concepts, ethical principles for safeguarding ICH, ICH and Sustainable Development, City, and Higher Education through lectures, case studies, fieldwork, group discussions, and presentations, actively interacting and exchanging ideas with the participants. Deputy Director of the China National Centre for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage, Mr. Hao Qingjun, and Dr. Su Junjie, Associate Professor at the School of Ethnology and Sociology, Yunnan University, delivered lectures about Systematic Safeguarding and Unified Supervision of ICH and ICH in the Economic Dimension, respectively.