The UNESCO Convention addresses: “Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills—that communities, groups and in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage” (Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2003). As the world changes rapidly, sometimes I wonder what future schools will look like. There are various types of future schools and innovative schools, but the school to be introduced herein is ‘community schools.’ The ‘Future School Scenario’ published by the OECD in 2001 predicted that current schools and future schools will be different from each other. Future schools are expected to be the ‘status quo,’ ‘re-schooling,’ or ‘de-schooling,’ including the collapse of the school system, by adapting to bureaucratic systems and market economy models. One of them was to reconstitute school as a core social center (Scenarios for the Future of Schooling, 2001).\n\nFor example, the ‘community schools’ of the United States, which are expanding the boundaries of public education through cooperation from various human and material resources in schools and communities, are the closest type of ‘re-schooling institutions’ as ‘core social centers’ in the ‘Future School Scenario’ (Scenarios for the Future of Schooling, 2001). Core social centers can take a role as a bridge connecting ICH and the local community. Herein describes how community schools are operated, and what policies could lead those schools to collaborate with ICH.\n\nCommunity schools are based on a model connecting home, school, and community. They are operated in a way that integrates local medical organizations, community activities, and leadership (Oakes, 2017). It is a characteristic of community schools that they actively introduce the necessary parts of education in terms of the heritage of the community to each region.\n\nExample of Training Regarding ICH\nFor example, Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan work together to discuss the benefits and methods of integrating ICH in both formal and non-formal education programs. They share their experiences of technical education for ICH that was conducted in schools. Through this experience, they can make their communities better (Central Asia strengthens inter-sectoral cooperation on living heritage and education, 2019). Creating the environment and facilities necessary for education and operating programs for residents are leading to activities to change the community for better health.\n\nIn conclusion, the subject and method of operation vary from model to model of each community school. However, community schools in different regions are similar in terms of how they have achieved educational achievement regarding ICH through a connection between the school and the community.\n\nThe way of making ideal community schools is simple. If they complement the shortcomings, such as lack of a training system regarding ICH and build partnerships properly with the community, the community schools would create better outcomes. The link between school and community is a win-win strategy that can have a positive effect on each other. Additionally, it is beneficial for supporting local residents, specifically students who need training and education for identifying ICH. As societies become more sophisticated, new schools have emphasized not only the completion of a regular curriculum but also various educational roles. Linking with the community is an inevitable choice to carry out these roles.\n\nReferences\n“Central Asia Strengthens Intersectoral Cooperation on Living Heritage and Education.” UNESCO, 16 August 2019, ich.unesco.org/en/news/central-asia-strengthens-intersectoral-cooperation-on-living-heritage-and-education-13217. Web 22 June. 2020\n\nConvention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=17716&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html. Web. 23 June. 2020\n\nOakes, J., Maier, A., & Daniel, J. (2017). Community Schools: An Evidence-Based Strategy for Equitable School Improvement. Boulder, CO: National Education Policy Center. Retrieved 06 April. 2018 from http://nepc.colorado.edu/publication/equitable-community-schools\n\n“Scenarios for the Future of Schooling.” OECD.org – OECD. N.p., 2001. Web. 23 June. 2020."\n\nPhoto : Kyrgyzstan Central Asia strengthens intersectoral cooperation on living heritage and education © UNESCO

The Kishkinda Trust (TKT) was established in 1997 with the belief that conservation and business incubation can help in socio-economic development of a community. The Kishkinda Trust is based in Anegundi village within Hampi, a World Heritage site, and involves creating a model village for cultural industries with a replicable plan across the country. The restoration and holistic development of its traditional homes and promotion of cultural industry incubators within these spaces will enable the local community to manage their art, craft, hospitality for heritage tourism and culinary enterprises. TKT focuses intensively on capacity building of local villagers across multidisciplinary fields of creative and cultural industries—architectural conservation, heritage restoration, crafts and design, management and hospitality, so that their lives are nurtured, enriched and empowered by their own culture and identities. This process reaffirms ties between tradition, everyday commerce and the quality of life.

Khon is one of the most significant performing arts of Thailand. It is an important traditional dance and art style dated from the Ayutthaya period. It has its own unique identity and integrates different fields of art, literature, rituals, and crafts.

Torn apart by decades of conflict, post-2003 Afghanistan was on the brink of an economic, social, and cultural collapse. Besides the much-mediatized shelling of the country’s material heritage, such as the Buddhas of Bamiyan, Afghanistan’s intangible heritage equally took an untold toll. In addition to various practices that had been directly targeted and proscribed (such as making the rubab, a short-necked lute), a general weakening of the national economy, disruption of raw material procurement networks, and an overall destruction of the social fabric put a majority of Afghanistan’s heritage at risk. Particularly threatened were its craftsmen, the stewards of woodcarving, goldsmithing, or miniature techniques, skills firmly rooted in more than 3,000 years of artistic traditions and defining features of many of the country’s communities.

With the accelerated urbanization and the rise of modern popular culture in China in 1990s, and against the macro-environment of technical rationality, traditional arts lost their holding in many fields. Among these arts, Fujian puppetry, which has an uninterrupted thousand-year history, encountered a difficult situation related to transmission. There was simply not enough interest and the number of practitioners began to wane. To face these difficulties, the representative inheritors of Fujian puppetry–the principals and artists of the Quanzhou Puppetry Troupe, Jinjiang Hand Puppetry Troupe, and Zhangzhou Puppetry Troupe–have been searching for support from all possible channels and calling for attention to and promotion of puppetry. Among these proponents is the director of Quanzhou Puppetry Troupe, Mr. Wang Jingxian, who started to popularize puppetry while in his early twenties and continues to do so today as he approaches sixty. The success of their efforts to reignite interest in Fujian puppetry can be measured by the increase value that local governments and communities have been placing on puppetry and can also be reflected in the Quanzhou Puppetry Troupe relocating to a new venue and expanding the exhibition and performing venues to accommodate its needs.

Human Welfare Association aims to organize and empower the most disadvantaged sections of the society for sustainable and comprehensive development leading to improved quality of life. Registered in 1991, the organization intends to address the needs of the vulnerable minority communities (Dalits, OBCs) with focus on women and children. HWA has implemented various projects at the grassroots level with the support of international donor agencies. The knowledge base of the community is being further developed through awareness generation and information dissemination at all levels.

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 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.

Based on the accumulated experience over the course of fifteen years since the adoption of the 2003 Convention, Southeast Asia is well known for its diverse and abundant intangible heritage. Many states in this region have already initiated ICH safeguarding plans with active participation of communities.\nHowever, a number of Member States are still having difficulties employing community‐based safeguarding plan and programs. In implementing the 2003 Convention, much attention should be paid to build capacity to support and safeguard a wider range of ICH Stakeholders, including communities, group, and individuals.\nTherefore, this session will provide an opportunity to share experiences and discuss on the roles the community should exercise in safeguarding ICH. In this session, we will discuss the following questions: (1) Do ICH communities, groups, individuals, and practitioners fully recognise the spirit and significance of the 2003 Convention? (2) Are they subsequently assigned to embody appropriate roles?

The term intangible cultural heritage (ICH) refers to the diverse knowledge, techniques, performance arts, and cultural expressions recreated endlessly by collectives and communities through the interactions with their surroundings, nature, and history. ICH is characterized by communal retention within a collective and comprises a living aspect of culture, which is inherited through the daily lives of people. As a result, the international community, including UNESCO, has begun to newly recognize the value of ICH, and although the international community is showing greater interest towards the protection of ICH, trends such as globalization and urbanization have led to the extinction of many intangible heritage assets. ICH is a field in which the loss of the capacity for continuation and cultural abandonment are risks with high potential. It is for these reasons that there is a grave necessity to imbue the field of ICH with renewed vitality.

Culture is chiefly perceived as a driving force for sustainable development in the UN’s action plan for people, planet, and prosperity entitled “Transforming Our World: 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. In this context, there is a foreseeable strength in ICH to generate means for sustainable development. The following issues are considered as starting points of discussion: (1) the methods of aligning commercial activities with ICH safeguarding activities, (2) the possible risks to ICH viability and the ways in which they can be mitigated, and (3) the prospect of moving toward and maintaining a mutual relationship between ICH Safeguarding and development policies.\nKeeping the grassroots level highly pertinent in Session 3, we intend to put various NGOs activities at the center of the discussion, particularly in light of our pursuit to assess their presence in sustainable tourism development and eco‐tourism, looking into the possibility of expanding the role of NGOs in areas such as cultural mapping and gender equality. To end, a plenary discussion will be held. The outcome document will be circulated to share the discussion points of and lessons learned from the meeting.