Current Status of University's Efforts for ICH Education and Its Safeguarding: A case on Japan

The 2003 Convention plays a major role in safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is the first international legal instrument that has focused on the traditional elements of life. To date, more than 508 elements of more than 122 countries have been registered in the UNESCO nomination list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The number has been increasing every year. It validates the value of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to the world. The Republic of Korea, which has more than fifty years of history in Intangible cultural heritage preservation, is one of the leading countries in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Preservation. This paper has intended to study one of the UNESCO nominated ICH elements of traditional dance performances i.e. Ganggangsullae of Korea and see the impacts after its nomination. Ganggangsullae has been successfully safeguarded in Korea. Its inclusion in the education curriculum has made it possible to disseminate its historical significance and values to the younger generation. Despite the effort of the state, Ganggangsullae seems to lack the interest of the people. It is an important issue to understand the reasons and find ways to revive its essence rather than being confined to the documents.

The evolution of industrialization process and globalization has endangering traditional textile which put in place intangible culture heritage (ICH) of weaving tradition dramatically decrease over years. Rapid of changing process has impact on change of people lifestyles and resulted traditional practice of handcraft lose slowly. In order to safeguard local knowledge, government played significant role on develop ICH policy and its legal framework implementation associate with international standard.

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) provides a continuous link between the past, present and future. Every country flourishes with distinct ICH elements which needed to be safeguarded and transmitted from one generation to another. Weaving is one of the ICH elements that has thrived and intertwined knowledge systems, creativities, customs and belief systems of different cultures around the world. Communities identify their cultures through their traditional costumes which were handwoven using ancient weaving techniques.

The traditional weaving of Lao textile is the dominate form of artistic cultural expression of Lao women and also the woven heritage of Lao nation. preserving and disseminating of hand-woven identity of Lao heritage. This research is a study of historical background of Lao textile, the problem of safeguarding of the elements, the ways of safeguarding this element under the Lao policies and the enhancement and awareness-raising of safeguarding on Lao textile disseminated in its community against the social change and economic growth. In occasion of study the safeguarding on Korean textile in Hansan, Mosi weaving which will describe on some point of view on this element of safeguarding as the comparative study. By using the methodology of literature review such as: discussion on different books, journals, websites or these used as reference material to illustrate what has been researched on the topic before variables.