After the Angkor was inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List, it was necessary to establish working mechanisms to promote national and international collaboration.

To fully appreciate the theme of the Fifth Melanesian Festival of Arts and Culture—Celebrating Cultural Diversity—it is imperative that we question the meaning of cultural diversity.

The Law on Cultural Heritage of Vietnam (adopted in 2001, revised in 2009) is the most important legal tool for safeguarding heritage, both natural and cultural, and tangible and intangible, in Vietnam. Compatible to UNESCO’s 2003 Convention on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, the Law on Cultural Heritage of Vietnam acknowledges and protects the cultural creations of the community produced out of their own needs, through their awareness and labour. Such cultures have a strong attachment to them from one generation to another and become the identity of the community or groups of people in society and their heritage and the heritage of the nation and humankind. Lên Đồng (mediumship) is a religious practice of the Viet/Kinh, the majority group in Vietnam. This ritual originated from the worship of the Mother Goddess. Lên Đồng possibly started in the 15th century and has existed continuously in the people’s life. Yet, in some periods of time, it was not recognized and thus was not practiced openly. Today, Lên Đồng and the worship of the Mother Goddess are open, common and developed in Vietnam. Their values and practice are being studied, clarified and acknowledged for their protection as a national heritage. This work has been carried out with good results thanks to the participation of many scholars, cultural policy makers and especially the self-awareness of identifying and introducing the values of this cultural heritage of the Mother Goddess Worship community. We’d like to express our thanks to ICHCAP and the authorities of Jindo City for inviting us to this Workshop “Safeguarding Shamanism Heritage in Asia”. My paper will present a case study entitled “Together with the community identifying the values, safeguarding Lên đồng mediumship, a Shamanism heritage in Vietnam”

Inventories are a fundamental tool for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH). In its “Guidance Note\nfor Inventorying ICH,” UNESCO reiterates the importance of community participation in the inventorying\nprocess. In other words, ICH inventories must go beyond mere documentation of specific elements by experts and instead enable a collaborative process whereby the information gathered assists with keeping the ICH meaningful and viable for associated communities. Digital media offers exciting opportunities for engaging communities in ICH inventory processes, as well as in modeling information in ways that help heritage professionals, advocates, and practitioners gain a more nuanced view of an element’s viability. In this paper I present two digital tools, Photovoice and Arches, that can assist community-based inventories to identify and document the complex cultural “ecosystem” that ICH lives through.

The ASB Polyfest is an iconic Auckland festival filled with color and culture. It celebrated its 43rd anniversary in 2018, with more than 12,000 secondary school students from across the Auckland region performing on six stages and a record 241 performing groups from 68 schools.

The Ramanarpanam Trust established the DRIK Foundation, a value-based learning center for Indian Art and Culture, and innumerable learning and education platforms for the children and youth of oppressed and exploited communities. DRIK and DWARAKA were formed to protect the socio-economic and cultural heritage and values of rural India. All the above organizations together have launched the DRIK DWARAKA ACADEMY, integrating rights learning with community change, skill development, livelihood generation and leadership development among children, youth, and women. DRIK JEEVANOTSAVA, a cultural empowerment movement, has spread the message of human rights, values, peace, and leadership through its activities. Together with AVAS (Association for Voluntary Action and Services), this cultural network has taken root to revive traditions and heritage, giving livelihood options and rejuvenating old folk forms of songs, dances, storytelling, puppet shows and much more towards transforming communities.

The presence of goddesses has been a consistent feature within Korean polytheistic shamanism and traditional popular religions. These goddesses are often associated with nature or aspects of family and life. Samsin is a grandmother goddess who gives life to babies. Known as Samsin Halmeoni (Samsin grandmother), she protects the mother and newborn during the birthing process and while growing up. Youngdeung Halmeoni (Youngdeung grandmother), the goddess of wind, is a capricious goddess who reflects the stereotypical character of a mother-in-law who torments her daughter-in-law. As Korea became a male-dominant society, Sanshin (mountain god) was modified to become a male god, although Sanshin was originally a female goddess.

Malaysia is a developing nation of Southeast Asia. A few of their famous slogans reflect the diversity of its present ethnic groups in terms of language, customs and traditions inherited from past generations, ‘One Malaysia‘ and ‘Malaysia Truly Asia‘. Malaysia’s cultural fusion is the result of immigration, trade and cultural exchanges over many centuries with Arab nations, China, and India, where the arrival of the first foreigners brought along with them their wealth as well as their cultural heritage and religion. Presently, these ethnic groups still maintain their cultural traditions, but managed to come together to develop Malaysia’s unique and contemporary diverse heritage.

The Pacific Islands Museums Association (PIMA) is a regional, non-governmental organization that assists museums, cultural centers, national trusts, cultural departments and ministries, cultural associations, and arts councils. PIMA acknowledges the richness of the Pacific’s ICH and has undertaken some successful initiatives to support ICH safeguarding.

The Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies (IPNGS) was established under the Cultural Development Act, passed by the Papua New Guinea House of Assembly on 14 October 1974. Papua New Guinea had become self-governing from Australia almost a year earlier, but independence was still about another year in the future. Today IPNGS is a national cultural institution under the National Cultural Commission Act. It moved to its present location towards the end of 1976. The distinctive welded sculptures on the outside walls and gates depict the Orokolo story of Aru Aru and his journey to the moon, as told by Sir Albert Maori Kiki.

In 2014, the Mongolian Law on the Protection of the Cultural Heritage was amended with 13 chapters and 61 articles. The main purposes and functions of this law is to regulate any relations associated with investigation, registration, research, classification, evaluation, conservation, protection, restoration, revitalization, transmission, ownership, usage, and promotion of cultural heritage. \n\nArticle 22. Registration of cultural heritage \n22.4 The information of intangible cultural heritage and its bearers shall be registered in the cultural heritage registration and information database\n24.1 The information of the cultural heritage registration and information database can be used by citizens and legal entities, with the permission of an authorized entity. It is prohibited to infringe the legitimately given interest of owner and possessor while using the information. \n24.2 The information of cultural heritage registered in the cultural heritage registration and information database can be used to make comprehensive promotional products for the public. \n\nArticle 34. Rights and duties of bearers of intangible cultural heritage \n34.2. Bearers of intangible cultural heritage shall have the following duties:\n34.2.1 to teach students and transmit intangible cultural heritage to the next generations\n34 2.2. to disseminate and promote intangible cultural heritage; \n34.2.3 to provide assistance to record information and conduct registration of intangible cultural heritage.\n\nArticle 39. Transmission of intangible cultural heritage \n39.1. The state central administrative organization in charge of cultural affairs and Governors of all levels shall be responsible to preserve, protect transmit, promote, and research intangible cultural heritage, and its bearers in association with ethnological

The circle dance, where people dance in a rotating formation, has appeared in many cultures since ancient times. The form and structure of the circle dance reflect the aesthetic concepts of mysteriousness, the incessant generation of filling and emptying, eternal return, unity, and defense. While there are various kinds of circle dance forms in Korea, the grandest one, with more than 250 dancers, is the yeowonmu.