The Association of Water Users, also known as Ob Umed (literally “water is hope”), a Tajik NGO, works toward increasing the environmental education of the population, emphasizing certain attitudes toward water based on folk traditions and ancestral knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe. To formally dedicate time to reflect on the importance of water and its survival today, Ob Umed organizes and celebrates holidays within the framework of a project called “Revival of Traditional Methods of Water Resources Management in Mountain Communities”.\n\nOn 13 May, one such holiday, the beginning of the irrigation season was organized in the town of Dzhiruddjara–Tishordara. Representatives of water users of all nine Jamoat villages, employees of relevant state structures, public organizations, and mass media were invited to the holiday.\n\nEarly in the morning, the final works (hashars) were carried out to repair canals and irrigation ditches, a process in which village water users took part. As noted at the beginning of the event, the holiday is part of the national traditions; it does not only mean the beginning of the irrigation season but also an event that unites all water users and directs them to mutual understanding, consensus, and joint solution of issues relating to water problems in the area.\n\nDuring the ceremony, several water-related rituals were performed, including the pronunciation of prayers at the main sources, poetry reading, and other types of ancient traditional practices. Since the area is known for its water scarcity, these traditional practices are believed to be capable of encouraging residents to increase the volume of water in the sources and changing people’s attitude to water and its fair distribution. The event also provides the younger generation an example on how to respect water according to the teachings of tradition. A festive banquet followed and enriched the bond of the participants.\n\nPhoto : Ob Umed © Aiza Abdyrakhmanova

제6차 중앙아시아 무형유산 보호협력 네트워크 회의 2015 국가발표 (1)

제6차 중앙아이상 무형유산 보호협력 네트워크 회의 2015 국가발표 (2)

The Azerbaijani Carpet Makers Union (ACMU), founded in January 2010, is a voluntary self-governmental public association of citizens rallied to support Azerbaijani carpet weaving.The ACMU seeks to promote a revival of the powerful spiritual heritage of carpets, the national traditions of the Azerbaijani people, a consolidation of the creative potential of seen figures of society and culture, support for talented children and youth, and creative carpet dynasties. The purpose of the ACMU is also to convey objective information about the unique national culture, rich historical heritage, and diversity of the carpet art of Azerbaijan to the international community.

The Asia-Pacific region can be called a treasure house of ICH because of its diverse heritage and rich cultural environment. However, much of the ICH in the region is facing the possibility of disappearance because the value of ICH isn’t fully understood and there is a shortage of institutional and administrative support. In particular, developing or underdeveloped countries in the region are experiencing difficulties in effectively safeguarding ICH in the context of maintaining sociocultural traditions and promoting sustainable development because globalisation, urbanisation, and modernisation stand as obstacles.Recognising the shortcomings in ICH safeguarding, ICHCAP, a UNESCO Category 2 Centre, has recently been established based on the approval of UNESCO General Conference in 2009 and the agreement between UNESCO and the government of the Republic of Korea. The main roles and functions of the Centre focus on information and networking in the ICH safeguarding field. ICHCAP has contributed to ICH safeguarding and has learned a lot from the activities the Centre has conducted and participated in over the past four years.In this paper, I will introduce the main roles, functions, and collaborative works of ICHCAP in relation to ICH safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific region. I am hoping that the information provided here will also contribute to developing useful methods and cooperative measures in the ICH field among Asia-Pacific Member States and ICHCAP.

Moderator to Helena Norberg-Hodge: You have emphasized a new order and a way of life and the need to promote localization to escape from globalization and cultural uniformity. In my opinion, this localization can be carried out more easily in the post-CORONA era; what do you think? And this is the second question, in the post-CORONA era, is there a need to change the direction or strategy of the localization movement? If so, what would it be? People nowadays talk about new normal, so please also tell us about the post-CORONA era localization.

Ikat making in Uzbekistan is an ancient type of applied art. The history of Ikat atlas and adras making technologies in the territory of Uzbekistan dates to the late antique period. Historically, Margilan, as the heart of the Fergana Valley, was the birthplace of advanced silk craftsmanship of Central Asia and the center for making atlas and adras—vivid and fine traditional fabrics.

Peganum harmala L. belongs to the plant family Zygophyllaceae and appears spontaneously in the wide arid and semiarid areas between Western China and the Middle East/North Africa region. It is also istributed in Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Caucasus. P. harmala is a perennial glabrous herb that reaches thirty to one hundred centimeters in height with a short creeping rooting system, white flowers, and three-chamber capsule-type fruits that can contain about fifty black seeds. The roots can reach a depth of five or six meters to adapt to drying soils. The plant tends not to suffer from grazing due to its bitter taste (alkaloid content).

Moderator to Participants: Thank you very much for your thoughtful presentations. Now, I’d like to open the discussion session with the panelists. I would like to ask you three important questions. How can we re-enforce the role of intangible cultural heritage in the framework of the Silk Roads? What kind of lessons have learned thus far? What what is the most important movement of intangible cultural heritage in the frame work of the Silk Roads? So gentlemen you have the floor.

The Azerbaijani Carpet Makers Union (ACMU), founded in January 2010, is a voluntary self-governmental public association of citizens rallied to support Azerbaijani carpet weaving. The ACMU seeks to promote a revival of the powerful spiritual heritage of carpets, the national traditions of the Azerbaijani people, a consolidation of the creative potential of seen figures of society and culture, support for talented children and youth, and creative carpet dynasties. The purpose of the ACMU is also to convey objective information about the unique national culture, rich historical heritage, and diversity of the carpet art of Azerbaijan to the international community.

The Foundation for the Protection of Natural and Cultural Heritage is a UNESCO-accredited NGO located in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. It was established in 2000 with the objectives of protecting and safeguarding various natural and cultural heritage elements, including intangible heritage values, and carrying out various activities for researching, studying, and promoting natural and cultural heritage properties and ICH values.

The development of information technology is pushing humanity forward. From ancient times the exchange of information has been a vital ingredient in the development of technology, education, culture, and lifestyle. Trade routes were the most ancient organized form of exchange not only for goods but also for technology, religion, and culture. For more than 3,000 years the Silk Roads played a major role in the exchange between Asia, Africa and Europe. Understanding the importance of cultural exchange, understanding, and tolerance, building stable relationships based on the preservation of cultural elements will give a new impetus to development. Representing cultures at the international level in a specific goal and task will focus respect for the efforts of generations and building new connections and relationships.