Talchum, the Korean mask dance, is a unique art form that combines Korean history, tradition, faith, and folk elements. Talchum satirizes the lives of ordinary people and yangban, the aristocratic class. The Tal (mask), which depicts characters in the stories, implies characteristics and meanings of each region. In this section, thirteen mask dance dramas of the Republic of Korea inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022 are introduced.

Masks are used by people to hide themselves while acting as others, and are also used to express something inside the wearer, perhaps a personality that they do not usually reveal or something related to spirituality and faith. The MassKara Festival and the Moryonan, representative festivals of the Philippines, are large-scale street events to celebrate the nation’s history and culture, and to gather local society together. The MassKara Festival, which features a parade full of colorful masks and costumes, reveals the joys and passions of Bacolod citizens. On the other hand, the Moryonan Lenten rites shows the cultural heritage of Marinduque inhabitants who creatively follow Catholic tradition.

Tuong (Hat Boi), introduced in this section, is a traditional Vietnamese classical drama that causes Vietnamese people to consider their past and present lives. Tuong, a kind of mask drama that combines music and dance, features distinctive makeup and costumes. It dramatizes Vietnamese folk tales or fables, and can also be based on scripts created with historical, political, social, and cultural settings. It portrays figures from various walks of life including kings, queens, generals, maids, ladies, and students, and aesthetically depicts lessons on human deeds, such as sacrifice for the greater cause, and heroic characters.

This section illuminates the charms of ASEAN mask dramas, which recreate myths and the historical values that permeate them. ASEAN mask dramas are a total art, the synthesis of masks, costumes, music, and dance, mainly telling folk tales or historical narratives. In particular, ASEAN countries such as Cambodia and Thailand have developed dance drama, mask drama, and also shadow puppetry by dramatizing the Hindu epic Ramayana from ancient India. Not only do ASEAN mask dramas show the diversity and artistic creativity of ASEAN culture but they also play an important role as a medium of cultural exchange.

Humans have created animal-like masks to pray for successful hunting or magical masks to wish for good harvests since ancient times. ASEAN masks have been created for various purposes such as ritual masks for expelling evil and disease and praying for a rich and happy life, as well as masks for performance in plays and other entertainment forms.

On 30 November 2022, “Talchum, Mask Dance Drama in the Republic of Korea” was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This was a significant honor as it represented the global recognition of the value of sharing and jointly transmitting this traditional art. It also suggested that Korea’s efforts to transmit Talchum to date had not been in vain, while also affirming the relevance of Korea’s experience in terms of transmitting other ICH. The inscription of Talchum on the UNESCO Representative List came as a result of the recognition of Korea’s unique notion of freedom and its efforts to achieve universal equality, which all of humanity now shares and contributes to.

Masks are commonly used as disguises depicting face-like shapes of deities, humans, devils, and animals over the face. In Chinese characters, they can be called myeon (面), myeongu (面具), daemyeon (代面), gadoo (假頭), gasoo (假首), and so forth. In Korean, they have been called gwangdae, chorani, tal, talbak, takbagaji. However, strictly speaking, myeongu refers to a mask that covers only the front of the face, whereas a mask that covers whole head including the back of the head is separately called gadoo, gasoo and toodoo (套頭). In English-speaking regions, they are called “masks.” Wood is a primary material to make masks, but paper, lightweight stones, bronze, fabric, and ceramics can also be used to. Masks are often colored with red clay or drawn with various dyes. By pasting paper or fabric on a carved wooden mask and then coating it with lacquer, the mask can be kept for a long time. That is the case with Hahoe Masks of Korea.

Hoi An is a small city located in the central region of Viet Nam, covering an area of 60 km2. It has two World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO: Hoi An Ancient Town (“an exceptionally well-preserved example of a South-East Asian trading port dating from the 15th to the 19th century”; UNESCO, 2018) and Cham Islands Biosphere Reserve. In its day, Hoi An was the most prosperous trading port in Dang Trong, southern Viet Nam, and famous throughout Southeast Asia. Not only traders from all over the country but also a large number of foreign merchants from China, Macao, Japan, Manila, Malacca, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, as well as Western countries such as France, Portugal, and Italy traveled across the sea to Hoi An to conduct business. Here, merchants could easily sell and purchase goods per their requirements, especially ceramic products.

Intergenerational skill transfer is a valuable approach for promoting income generation, empowerment, and sustainable development within communities. It involves passing down traditional skills and knowledge from one generation to the next, and can help to safeguard cultural practices, traditions, and crafts while also supporting economic and social development. The Shikharapur Community Learning Centre (SCLC) in Nepal has implemented an intergenerational skill transfer program as a way to promote income generation and empowerment among community members. The program focuses on traditional crafts such as weaving and pottery, and involves training younger members of the community in these skills through mentorship and apprenticeship with older, more experienced members. The program has been successful in promoting income generation among participants, as they are able to sell the products they create to tourists and through local markets. It has also contributed to the empowerment of community members, as they are able to take ownership of their own economic development and contribute to the sustainability of their community.

Basketry represents the oldest and the most widespread craft in the world. It is seen as an integral part of human civilization for its utilitarian purposes and sustainability. In Nepal, basket-making is one of the oldest practices of the Tharu community, and is connected to their various rituals from birth to death. The Tharu people are one of the indigenous ethnic groups who predominantly live in the Terai region stretching from east to west across southern Nepal. This group worships nature and natural products and is famous for its basketry crafts, Mithila and relief arts, and natural fiber floorings. A Tharu myth illustrates that Jasu, the first woman, taught irrigation and basketry to her counterpart Ishu, and thereafter the basketry tradition began. Intricately woven from locally available thatch grass, the baskets have evolved and are used in special ceremonies as well as more daily uses, ranging from storing valuables to carrying grains and vegetables. Woven basketry has an immense cultural significance to the Tharu people. It symbolizes the traditional skills of young unmarried Tharu girls who, when married, weave a series of baskets and take them to their in-laws’ homes as their precious dowry. Therefore, basket-making practice is considered a gift exchange system that binds two families together through marriage. This skill is transferred from mother to daughter.

During the Soviet era, the issue of preservation of cultural heritage, including intangible heritage, was a key concern on colonial grounds in Uzbekistan. Attempts were made to bury Uzbek and other cultures in the depths of history by falsely glorifying Russian history, denying the originality of national republics, turning a blind eye to them, finding and destroying the values of nations and peoples under the guise of creating the Soviet people, unscientific and religious heresy, and superstition. The tourist organizations Intourist and Sputnik, which were subordinate to Moscow and collected funds, were established, while the Yodgorlik (“Memorial”) historical and cultural heritage preservation society was responsible for the management of cultural heritage in Uzbekistan. Yodgorlik was actually structured as a public organization, under the control of the Communist Party and the Supreme Soviet (except the KGB). In particular, the honorary chairman of Yodgorlik was the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet.

This paper is an attempt to bring attention to the various policies, programs, and activities conducted by the Government of India to promote traditional Indian crafts and the communities involved in artisanal occupations. The study focuses on understanding the sustainable development of crafts through various examples of programs initiated by the Government of India. Details of the initiatives can be found in section 4.