Moderator to Helena Norberg-Hodge: You have emphasized a new order and a way of life and the need to promote localization to escape from globalization and cultural uniformity. In my opinion, this localization can be carried out more easily in the post-CORONA era; what do you think? And this is the second question, in the post-CORONA era, is there a need to change the direction or strategy of the localization movement? If so, what would it be? People nowadays talk about new normal, so please also tell us about the post-CORONA era localization.

The profound difficulties international ICH community faces during the Corona pandemic is truly worrisome. For the NGOs of Korea, the common factor in dealing with the pandemic was for the ICH communities to absorb online activities and become fluent in online platforms for ICH safeguarding. But Bridging the digital gap is still remaining. So Hanhee Hahm, presented experience of COVID-19 and engagement of her with the ICH Community and counter measures against the pandemic society.

Hills resembling a dragon tail, composed of arenaceous soft mud stretching for several miles, scarce but fresh and lush vegetation, springs with ice-cold water spouting from the heart of the earth, waves of the salty lake gently crashing against the shore, magnificent white clouds soaring up in the sky and the numerous pilgrims, lined up one by one, treading right upon the “dragon tail” and making their pilgrimage through the sacred site Manjyly-Ata.

The main contents of this publication are reports from thirty-two nations collected by ICHCAP from 2009 to 2015 as part of its annual projects to collect information on intangible cultural heritage safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific region. We have also compiled information from other reports and conference materials collected by ICHCAP to present key data, such as national inventories and information on related organizations, in an easily accessible format.

"For the past three years, sub-regional network meetings on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) in the Asia-Pacific region have been held consecutively in Nandi (Fiji, 2010), Nukualofa (Tonga, 2011), and Rarotonga (Cook Islands, 2012). Through these meetings, the countries in the Pacific region and ICHCAP have recognised the importance of safeguarding ICH as the origin of human creativity and cultural diversity and have shared the need for regional and international cooperation. In particular, the third sub-regional meeting in Rarotonga offers an opportunity to discuss the possibility of using information and communication technology (ICT) to efficiently manage and use ICH information. \nAlbeit with some negative aspects, the so-called information society, established by the development of ICT, is causing remarkable changes such as rapid dissemination of knowledge and information, promotion of communication, and improvement in the quality of life. In particular, the Internet is changing the concept of traditional information service and it is making a new environment. The possibility of networking, cooperation, and digitisation that is raised in this environment brings the fundamental change in the function of acquisition, storage, and dissemination of information.\nICT development also offers a new method in the ICH field. In other words, by using the constantly progressing ICT properly for safeguarding and promoting ICH, it is expected to contribute to establishing a new safeguarding system, fundamentally different from traditional systems. The application of ICT will help people easily access ICH information and knowledge and it will also contribute to enhancing ICH safeguarding and cultural diversity. "

The UNESCO 2003 Convention was adopted because of the need for safeguarding ICH and ensuring its safe transmission to future generations. While promotional activities allow increasing awareness about ICH among populations, formal and non-formal education ensures its sustainability as well as continuity. It is for this specific reason that the delivery of ICH-related knowledge and skills through formal and nonformal education plays one of the central roles in safeguarding efforts.

The shamanism heritage is not a tangible cultural asset preserved in the halls of a museumor a recording that can be viewed repeatedly as a still or moving image. It is true that tangible assets as subjects of observation are also part of the shamanism heritage, the essence of shamanism is a complex and real cultural asset experienced through rituals performed in the real world occupied by people living in a specific time and space. In fact, the tangible and intangible is impossible to differentiate when in comes to cultural assets of shamanism. They are treated as separate entities for realistic, methodological or technological limitations, but in fact all traditional culture, not just shamanism, is a composite of tangible and intangible elements.

Based on the notion of culture as a complex multi-layered phenomenon, we admit that some cultural elements or expressions may fluidly migrate and adapt to different local settings, not necessarily or exclusively serving as a marker of an ethnic identity. Moreover, an emerging concept of shared cultural heritage allows us to disclose positive potential for joining efforts in safeguarding and enlivening the cultural heritage of the people. Connecting various national and local cultures along the Silk Roads aims exactly at gaining the joy of sharing the values, wisdom, creativity; at nurturing mutual interests and empathy among cultures and people; and at searching for common threads across the rich multitude of manifestations of cultural heritage of a vast region. The joint initiative by ICHCAP and IICAS to launch the Silk Roads ICH Networking Program needs support and actions by the wide range of stakeholder organizations and groups. Two options might be considered for a Silk Roads ICH Festivals network—either establish its own training program, capitalizing on the European Festivals Association’s experience or—cooperate with EFA on arranging a special edition of their Festival Academy focused on ICH and open for young managers from within the new network.

Kanklės is certainly one of the most important symbols of the Lithuanian cultural identity as it had an important and symbolic role during the periods of national revival and the independence movements. The instrument itself and the tradition of playing on the kanklės underwent changes, transformations, experienced a revival, and in some sense even a “renewal.” \n\nIn the twentieth century, playing the kanklės moved from the country to the towns. It used to be exclusively a men’s tradition. Now this tradition has been taken over by women, and solo playing has been replaced by an ensemble playing. Playing on the traditional five to twelve-string kanklės does not require any special preparation. The instrument is easily keyed and portable. Even a beginner can play on it. Traditionally, teaching to play on the kanklės took place in families and communities. There are still players who took over the tradition from fathers or old musicians in villages. Nowadays, most of the performers acquire their playing skills in folk groups or music schools or during informal education activities.

The Fiji Museum establishment was initiated by the donation of Sir William Allardyce’s private collections to the Suva Town Board in 1904. The bulk of these priceless collections represent the cultural identity of the many people that have made Fiji their home. These national heirlooms (more than 10,000) are protected under two Fiji Museum legislations – the Fiji Museum Act (CAP 263) and POAPI1 Act (CAP 264). These Acts empower the Fiji Museum to protect, preserve and care for these objects consistent with international museum laws and standards.\n\nAs part of object collection, the Fiji Museum also over the years amassed analogue materials in the form of photographs, audio recordings, video recordings and microfilms capturing oral history, cultural activities and archaeological fieldwork. Most of these materials have been kept in the Museum archives since 1970s and most date back centuries ago. The role is specific to the COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT of the Fiji Museum and is the focal point for this project. The Fiji Museum had had in the past undertook a lot of research projects with financial assistance for procurement of equipment however it has never undertook a digitization project before. This is being the first.

Food, together with its preparation, cooking, sharing, and consumption, is now considered a form of cultural heritage (Brulotte, 2016). Traditional cuisine is passed down from generation to generation and is often an expression of cultural identity of communities. For example, sometimes the only thing migrants carry with them is the food of their countries, and cooking traditional food is a way to preserve their culture outside their place of birth. It is not surprising that today, food is receiving special attention from governmental organizations with the aim of preserving historical roots and cultural identication, providing food as close as possible to the farms of production and addressing health problems such as reducing obesity and\nunbalanced nutrition.