A growing interest in cultural heritage by the corporate sector has offered new opportunities to safeguard, protect, and present both tangible and intangible heritage. Through strategic investments of capital, expertise, and technology into the cultural sector, corporations offer an opportunity to revitalize a sector beleaguered with precarious government funding and unpredictable public support. Nicholas Pozek stressed that the cultural sector must continue to approach the commoditization and commodification of cultural goods with skepticism.

Gender equality is a core value of the international community, being one of the 17 sustainable development goals and crosscutting into 9 other goals such as zero hunger, health and nutrition, quality education and decent work. The 2003 Convention also stresses that heritage safeguarding and transmission activities shall be compatible with human rights and relevant policies shall be without discrimination, covering the concept of gender equality. More specifically, Chapter 6 of the Convention’s Operational Directives states, “States Parties shall endeavor to foster the contributions of intangible cultural heritage and its safeguarding to greater gender equality and to eliminating gender-based discrimination.”(UNESCO, 2016) A 2018 report from the UNESCO evaluation body mentioned the following in its review of nomination files. Firstly, majority of nomination files lacked explanation regarding gender roles and the participation of both genders in nomination and safeguarding. Second, the Convention does not expect equal participation by both genders, but rather hopes to understand the different ways the heritage is experienced by the respective genders, what the gender roles are, and whether they have equal rights with respect to safeguarding (UNESCO, 2018). Although gender is a topic of great interest internationally, there hasn’t been much discourse on the relationship between intangible heritage and gender. Thus, this presentation looks at the value of gender considerations in intangible heritage safeguarding.

The Vietnamese Institute for Musicology and the Binh Dinh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism have jointly organized Bai choi Folk Art of Vietnam and Similar Art Forms around the World, an international conference held on 13 and 14 January 2015 in Qui Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province, Vietnam.

Jeonju is the most popular city in Korea for its traditional culture. Jeonju is ranked number one in terms of the number of living human treasures, the cultural heritage index, and the traditional cultural and art performance index, indicating that traditional culture is more actively practiced and performed in the city than any other city in the country. Against this backdrop, the Korean government designated Jeonju a traditional cultural city, and traditional culture has been at the heart of the urban-development strategies of Jeonju. The city’s rich traditional culture dates far back in history.

Dance is not the creation of a single individual but an entire culture developed by many people through the ages, gradually changing and being polished over time. As such, it is a valuable cultural heritage that embodies the character and emotions of a people and reflects the spirit of the times. Each movement and each step in dance, therefore, impart a sense of the history and lives of people of the past. (File, 2013, pp. 9–10)\nMovement disciplines like dance and martial arts embody the cultural heritage in which they developed. This chapter aims to map part of Korea’s cultural heritage by identifying certain movement characteristics shared by both traditional Korean dance and some traditional Korean martial arts. This chapter will also show how adaptations to fit with modern trends, such as K-pop music, can cause a martial art to lose its traditional character.\nThis study employed ethnographic descriptive research, cross-referenced with written work. My findings are based on the first-hand experience of practicing Korean martial arts, dance, and percussion (hourglass drum), and are further enhanced by years of observing Korean movement disciplines such as dance performances and informal interviews with traditional choreographers, dancers, and martial artists. Through this, I have identified specific movement characteristics that are present in both Korean traditional dance and many Korean martial arts. It is important to note that there are many types of Korean traditional dance, ranging from court dances, folk dances, and religious or ritual dances. My focus has been on those movement characteristics shared by most of these dance forms, thereafter identifying similar movement characteristics found in several Korean martial arts. These characteristics are not always present in every movement; however, most of them are usually perceivable and it is their synergy that gives a Korean “flavor” to these traditional movement disciplines.

The 2003 Convention UNESCO encouraged the involvement of non-governmental organizations in the efforts to safeguard intangible cultural heritage (ICH hereafter) on the national and international levels. More specifically, the text of Convention indicates that NGOs along with other stakeholders should assist government entities in identifying and defining the ICH at the national level. In addition, to the extent NGOs are accredited by UNESCO (accredited NGO hereafter), their support and counsel in the implementation of the Convention internationally and assistance in the gathering of information about ICH was envisioned by the Committee.2 Under this guiding principle, the Korean government is expected to facilitate the participation of NGOs in the process of identifying and defining the ICH. On the other hand, NGOs should also be active in assisting the government and ‘communities, groups, and individuals’3 in the implementation of the safeguarding plans for the ICH. In this paper I will examine the current situation of NGOs in Korea, including two accredited NGOs and present the tentative guidelines regarding the empowering principles of NGOs.

On this beautiful day of the harvesting season in autumn, when hundreds of fruits and grains are ripening and trees in the mountains and fields are tinging maple colours, I am very delighted and filled with the feeling of great honor that our Centre of UNESCO for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia and Pacific Region (ICHCAP) is privileged to host this year International Conference on Safeguarding ICH to reflect on the creative values and productive utility of our intangible heritage that our forefathers have inherited to us.

2003 UNESCO 무형문화유산보호협약(The Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage)에 의하면, ‘무형문화유산’이라 함은 개인, 집단 및 공동체들이 그들의 문화유산의 일부분으로 인식하는 실행, 표출, 표현, 지식 및 기술뿐 아니라 이와 관련된 전달 도구, 사물, 유물 및 문화 공간 모두를 의미한다. 나아가 무형문화유산의 범위와 관련하여 동협약은 ①무형문화유산의 전달수단으로서의 언어를 포함한 구전 전통 및 표현, ②공연 예술, ③사회적 관습·의식 및 제전, ④자연과 우주에 대한 지식 및 관행, ⑤전통공예기술을 예시적으로 나열하고 있다.\n\n이러한, 무형문화유산은 세대를 거쳐 사용·경험에 의하여 전승되어 온 ‘정보’로써, 사용되는 과정에서 개량(innovation)이 추가된다. 이러한 개량은 무형문화유산의 본질을 변화시키지 않는 범위 내에서 그 가치를 증가시키는 행위이고, 전통이라고 하는 본질은 계속 유지된다.4) 따라서 무형문화유산은 전통성과 동시에 날마다 생성된다고 하는 현대성을 갖는다. 이러한 무형문화유산의 특성은 무형문화유산의 지적재산권제도에 의한 보호를 곤란하게 하는 요인이다. 또한 이러한 유산의 대부분은 공유(公有, public domain)에 해당할 것이다.5) 기존 유산을 개량하는 경우, 개량된 부분은 사적영역(private domain)이 되기도 하지만 다시 관행을 통하여 공유가 된다. 무형문화유산은 전통지식(Traditional Knowledge), 전통문화표현물(TCEs/EoF; Traditional Cultural Expressions/Expression of Folklore)과 마찬가지로 인류의 공동유산(common heritage)으로 취급되어 그 “보전”에 초점이 맞추어져 왔다.\n\n전통지식(Traditional Knowledge)은 광의로 사용되는 경우와 협의로 사용되는 경우가 있다. 협의의 전통지식이란 “자연과 밀접한 관계가 있는 것 중에서 집단에 의하여 세대를 거쳐 배양된 농업적 지식, 과학적 지식, 기술적 지식, 생태학적 지식, 의학적 지식 및 생물다양성에 관한 지식의 총체”를 말하며 기술적 측면이 강하다. 현재 WIPO에서는 전통문화표현물의 개념을 포함하는 “광의의 전통지식”의 보호에 대하여 논의되고 있다. 특히, 유전자원과 밀접한 관계가 있는 “협의의 전통지식”은 특허와 관련하여 논의되고 있다. 광의의 전통지식이란 협의의 전통지식에 전통문화표현물의 표현, 언어적 요소(지리적 표시), 심볼, 동산문화재(미술공예품·민속자료·역사적 자료) 등을 추가한 것을 말한다.8) 한편, 최광의 개념으로 사용되는 유산(heritage)은 “광의의 전통지식” 뿐만 아니라 인간의 유전자정보, 성지와 유적·사적지 등과 같은 문화재, 선주민의 생활을 기록한 사진 영화 등을 포함하는 매우 넓은 개념이다. 본래 인류의 공동유산은 자유로이 접근, 이용할 수 있는 것으로 취급되어 왔으나, 최근 선진국가의 기업이 풍부한 경험, 정보 및 자금력을 바탕으로 인류의 공동유산을 소재로 하여 연구개발을 행하고 있으며, 그 연구성과를 지적재산권화하는 사례가 발생하고 있다.

The Mongols have traditionally shown great respect for the horse, honoring it in their national values and symbols (flags and emblems) as well as in folk songs. The morin khuur, so named for the ornamental horse-head carving at the top of its neck, is a unique two-stringed musical instrument developed by nomadic Mongols. The strings of both the bow and fiddle are made from the hair of a horse’s tail.

The performing art of Mongolia, especially the traditional folk dance, is an expression that embodies and originates from the nomadic way of life, expressing their lifestyle, household activities, courage, love, pride, and livestock. The dance is accompanied by singing, and some musical instruments as morin khuur, ikel khuur, tovshuur, tsuur, with the performers dressed ethnic costumes. Since ancient times the motifs and movements in traditional folk dances were used to transmit the narratives and social myths of Mongol history and culture.

Changes in our planet derived from human activities are now comparable to massive volcanic eruption and meteorite impacts in the past, to the extent that we can now consider the advent of a distinctively new geological era, the Anthropocene. This concept was first proposed by an atmospheric chemist, Paul J. Crutzen, in 2000 and was quickly adopted by earth system scientists and geologists, humanity scholars and social scientists, artists and performers. Yet this new geological concept is still not much familiar to the general public and has to go through many steps to get the official endorsement from the International Commission on Stratigraphy. Nevertheless, it is safe to say that the Anthropocene refers to our planet's planetary crisis, which includes climate change and ecological destruction.