The Loden Foundation has identified ten ICH elements of Bhutan that are on the brink of disappearing as time passes. To preserve records of these cultural traditions and raise awareness of them among the people, the foundation aims to make documentaries about these elements with support from ICHCAP. \n

For revitalize local crafts after COVID 19 pandemic, Joseph Lo proposes that in order to build greater resilience for the crafts sector to mitigate against future crisis, it is imperative to strengthen the linkages of craft products not only with other sectors but within the cultural system which it was initially made for. Focusing on the two case-studies - one in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, Joseph Lo suggested a new approach to prevent negative consequences of future global crisis.

An eminent gathering of experts and the diversity of their knowledge based on first-hand efforts at safeguarding intangible heritage makes the task of a rapporteur daunting. Please allow me to share some reflections from a day of intense discussions. Rather than a summary of presentations, which are already provided by the organisers, I beg your attention to the following. The Director-General of UNESCO, Madame Irina Bokova, has consistently emphasised the critical role of a culture in peace and sustainable development. She says that it ‘is a source of identity and dignity for local communities, a wellspring of knowledge and strength to be shared’. The safeguarding of intangible heritage is critical to the viability and sustainability of this ‘source of identity and dignity’. Safeguarding is a process that informs intercultural, intergenerational, interagency, and interdisciplinary dialogue.

The Loden Foundation is a pioneer organization in Bhutan bridging cultural heritage with socio-economic development. Loden literally means ‘the intelligent one’ and is an epithet of the Bodhisattvas, who work for the world using wisdom and compassion. Loden first started as a modest child sponsorship scheme in 1999 to help poor students go to school. Since then, it grew incrementally to become a leading NGO in Bhutan. Led by a group of people with shared visions, concerns and interests, Loden has three programs supported by a wide network of donors, volunteers, management team and partners.

The Pacific is known for its lush surroundings, white sandy beaches, deep blue ocean, acres and acres of land, friendly people, and mouth-watering delicacies. Fiji is no exception to this.

The International Mask Arts & Culture Organization (IMACO) was established in 2006 to construct archives of mask-related culture that is integral to cultural community symbols.

“ICH and Gender” introduces the mutual relationship between gender norms and ICH and emphasizes that understanding the intimacy between ICH and gender is important for effective ICH safeguarding and gender equality.

In Bhutan, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) is grown in non-rice growing regions and highland areas where cultivating other cereals is limited due to agro-geo-climate variations. Buckwheat is used throughout Bhutan in myriad culinary preparations, and of these, puta, a buckwheat noodle from the Bumthang Dzongkhag (Bumthang District), is very popular.

Cheoyongmu is a traditional Korean dance per formed by five masked dancers, each dressed in a robe of a different color. The five colors —blue, red, yellow, black, and white—define and express the character of the dance as they represent the ohaeng (五行) ideology of Korean tradition.

The region of Bay of Bengal has been an important part of maritime activities, including trading and fisheries from very ancient times. The significance of the region continues even at present. The massive \nwaterbody is a representation of a busy network of trade and commerce and the basis of livelihoods for thousands who surround it from all sides from various countries. Fishing as an occupation is an important \nsector of food and nutritional security and India alone, has more than nine million active fisherfolk across its coastline, who are directly dependent on fisheries for their livelihood, amidst which 80 % are small scale fishers. The sector of fisheries employs over 14 million people and contributes to 1.1 % of the Indian GDP. Though the number remains unaccounted for in most countries, but amidst the number of \nfishermen, there is a substantial number of fisherwomen, who have been contributing through generations in various ways, including supplementing the family income through alternative methods of income, as well as being the main conduits of maintaining various elements of intangible cultural heritage, including traditional methods of fishing. This research paper is an attempt to look into the contribution of the fisherwomen community around the western fringes of the Bay of Bengal, especially looking at the countries of Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka and the vital contributions of these womenfolk. The fisherwomen \nnot only help to sustain the families through the main profession of the family, but also helps financially through various subsidiary modes of income, like handicrafts and artwork. This is extremely helpful for sustaining the family in time of the lean seasons of fishing, as well as during periods of disaster, like the present Covid-19 pandemic situation. These attempts of the fisherwomen, thus, connects various factors to \noverall social cohesion and development, including sustaining various channels of intangible cultural heritage which directly connects to their main profession and also helps in transmission of community values \nand also redefines gender roles within the community.

banglanatak dot com is a social enterprise working across India since 2000 with a mission to foster inclusive and sustainable development using culture-based approaches. The organization has a hybrid structure. It is a social business and a not-for-profit formed by the employees. It is an accredited NGO in consultative status with the 2003 ICH Committee. banglanatak dot com works for pro-poor and sustainable development.

This paper aims at providing a basis for discussion on how to enhance regional and sub-regional collaboration among ICH stakeholders. The paper begins with identifying ICH stakeholders at local and national levels, and then looks at ICH stakeholders at sub-regional and regional levels. Sub-regional integration bodies in Asia and the Pacific region are introduced as potential partners for ICH safeguarding, while specific functions assigned to three Category II Centres in the field of ICH established in the region are highlighted for the sake of clarification. Based on that, the paper suggests three actions with a view to enhancing regional and sub-regional collaboration among ICH stakeholders; i) set clear goals and results to be achieved within the framework of global vision, ii) formulate a strategy and action plan, and iii) ensure monitoring and evaluation. Most of the examples used in this paper are taken from the Pacific region with which the author is familiar.