"BeezBistar Foundation (BBF), a community action-based non-governmental organization, was formed in 2009 by development workers and researchers. “BeezBistar” means prosperity in life and peaceful and joyful relations between human beings and all other life-forms. BBF works with local communities, especially farmers, weavers, fishers, adivashi, dalit, and other marginalized and socially vulnerable people for a prosperous and healthy life. Its guiding ethical principles are non-discrimination on the grounds of caste, race, class, and gender. BBF believes in people’s capacity to transform their existing situation of poverty and become pros- perous through a mediated process of interdependent, collective, and community support and actions. The notion of BEEZ is grounded in the local and indigenous culture of the peoples of Bangladesh, as well as advanced by science and life-affirming knowledge and technologies."

Co-orgarnized by ICHCAP and Hue Monuments Conservation Centre (HMCC), this year’s Asia-Pacific ICH NGO Conference was held in Hue, Vietnam under the theme of ICH NGOs towards Sustainable Development of Communities.

Nà Khương commune is located 31 kilometers far from the southwestof Quang Bìnhdistrict center; Like many other ethnic groups in the Northern mountainous region of Vietnam, the La Chí in Nà Khương communecultivate wet rice and other crops in fertile terraced fields.

Homegardens are traditional systems that combine agriculture, forestry, and livestock and provide economic, environmental, and social benefits for the householders. These agroforestry systems are often cited as the epitome of sustainability, yet the scientific community has long ignored them. Today, however, these age-old systems are receiving increasing attention owing to their potential to mitigate environmental problems such as reduced biodiversity and rising levels of carbon dioxide while providing economic gains and nutritional security to their owners.

In Hungduan, Ifugao, three communities—Hapao, Baang, and Nungulunan—observe three post-harvest rituals, collectively known as huowah. Punnuk, an intense tugging match in the Hapao River, is the last of the three rituals.

"While the artistic heritage of the Pacific is no doubt rich and representative of its cultures, it is more than merely something to be gazed upon and admired. Rather, Pacific art is both functional and symbolic of deeper meanings. Items as commonplace as bows and arrows, masks, and meeting halls are tangible expressions of the spirit of a culture. The themes in the final section seek to represent this spirit. In examining the Tongan kupesi traditions, for example, we see how the symbolism contained within the art, beyond its outer function, is reflective of the indirect nature of Tongan culture and somewhat akin to the practice of using heliaki in speaking. Likewise, in learning the complex process of building Palauan bai meeting houses, we can see that the structures stand not only as important functional spaces but also as carriers of cultural motifs and legends passed down over time. \nAll these themes attest to the art and technology of the Pacific societies as not only reflecting aesthetics but also serving a function. Traditional technological know-how allows the Pacific islanders to use available resources to their best advantage. Architectural designs, motifs, lashings, knots, stone walls, and pavement ensure that structures withstand the test of time while also carrying vital symbolic knowledge."

The question of how to apply integrated approach in ICH safeguarding is a fundamental issue in implementing the 2003 Convention. It also entails further questions not only for intangible heritage field, but also other relevant cultural heritage fields.\n\nThis session aims to find out the best method of integrated approaches from the viewpoint of ICH safeguarding within the framework of the 2003 Convention. Such aim will require a discussion of the intangible value of tangible heritage and an inquiry of the tangible elements of ICH by looking into various case studies of 'cultural spaces’.\n

Pebaek was one of the important ritual procedures of a traditional wedding ceremony. The ritual was performed at the groom’s house after the bride finished the wedding ceremony at her house. Pebaek was to introduce herself properly to her new in-laws and, her rst greetings were to the inlaw parents and relatives.

The punnuk is a tugging ritual of the village folk from three communities in Hungduan, Ifugao in Northern Luzon, Philippines. It is performed at the confluence of Hapao River and a tributary as the final ritual after the rice harvest. Its consummation brings to a close an agricultural cycle and signals the beginning of a new one. \n\nThe punnuk is a ritual of pomp and revelry. Garbed in their predominantly red-col-ored attire of the Tuwali ethno-linguistic subgroup, the participants negotiate the terraced fields in a single file amidst lush greens under the blue skies. The tempo builds up as the participants reach the riverbank, each group positioned opposite the other. The excitement is sustained through the final tugging match, and the sinewy brawn of the participants is highlighted by the river’s rushing water.

The chapter is part of a UNESCO book about intangi- ble cultural heritage (ICH) in relation to the Sustain- able Development Goal 2 (SDG2): Zero Hunger. This chapter starts with an introduction to the Centre for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD), a Vietnamese organization that ran a project related to ICH and SDG2. The chapter continues with an introduction to the geographical and social context of the project, as well as three case studies describing the effect of the project activities on farmers’ lives. The chapter ends with two essays contextualizing the project in the larger issue of community resilience for climate change, and agrobiodiversity for food security.

The role of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) as a guarantee for sustainable development has been recognized in the 2003 Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage. The essence of ICH as a living heritage is anchored in the concept of sustainability wherein its practice, intergenerational transmission and re-creation influence its continuity among its bearers and practitioners. One of the safeguarding measures for ICH is through intergenerational transmission where one generation transmits their heritage to the coming generation as a mechanism to keep their heritage alive and thriving. Consequently, sustainability operates in a similar dynamic principle that assures for a development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.