Among the Newa community, Tamrakars are one of such communities, who follow Buddhism. Gunla is one of many festivals celebrated in Kathmandu valley. It is the tenth month in Nepal Sambat lunar calendar, in which devotees from all around Kathmandu valley visit Swayambhu Stupa that is also one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. The festival of Gunla last for one whole month. In addition to this, devotees also take a visit to different Buddhist courtyards called Baha-bahi and other stupas and chaityas. The devotees in the process recite Holy Scriptures and play devotional gunla music. Music groups from different communities take part in the procession. Like other numerous communities, Tamrakar community also has the musical group named “Tamrakar Gunla Baajan Khala” who have been taking part in playing gunla music and reciting Holy Scriptures from time immemorial.

Master Nurak Abdrakhmanov (1947-2014) remained in the memory of modern Kyrgyz as a great composer, performer, and master of making the instrument. He began searching for his komuz teaching system back in the Soviet period when he worked as a music teacher in Ak-Talaa Village in the Naryn region. He was not satisfied with the formal education programs used in the schools. Master Nurak learned early on that that the European twelve-note system did not cover the musical subtleties and possibilities of komuz, saying that the system reduces what is possible with komuz in thirty ways. Master Nurak believed that learning komuz in a traditional and cultural way helps with learning how to play komuz more quickly and easily.

The Koryo Saram living in Uzbekistan are descendants of Koreans who resettled from Primorsky Krai and Khabarovsk Krai in Russia to Central Asia around 1937. However, unlike the majority of Korean diaspora communities that were formed through voluntary migration, the Koryo Saram of Central Asia were forcibly resettled as a consequence of political decisions. And as a result the Koryo Saram who settled in Central Asia faced huge challenges adapting to their new geographical and sociocultural environment, and as ethnic minorities these challenges were intensified. The establishment and growth of the Korean diaspora community of Uzbekistan took place within this context. nOf the post-Soviet activities to safeguard and transmit intangible cultural heritage, the efforts of the Koryo Saram dance troupes deserve special mention, especially with the somewhat recently established Samjiyeon Dance Troupe, Asadal Dance Troupe, and Koryo Dance Troupe under the Central Koryo Saram Culture Association of Uzbekistan (Koryo Association). Established in 1998, Koryo Dance Troupe is the oldest of the three while the Samjiyeon Dance Troupe and Asadal Dance Troupe were established in 2014 and 2015, respectively. With the exception of Koryo Dance Troupe, young people (in their twenties and thirties) head up these troupes and the dancers are in their teens and twenties. Key activities of all the troupes include both dance education and performance.\nThese Koryo Saram dance troupes perform at various events, including the traditional Koryo Saram festivals of Chuseok (a harvest holiday) and Seolnal (Lunar New Year), and thus play a central role in the continued transmission of intangible cultural heritage. The dance troupes also perform at events alongside various other ethnic groups, promoting the Koryo Saram community’s place within Uzbek society as an ethnic group with a unique and honorable heritage, living harmoniously with its neighbors.y of Uzbekistan took place within this context.

Jaggery (Htan Nyat) is a very important sweet delicacy in Myanmar. A boiled toddy palm sap (Htan Yee), its color ranges from yellow to brown. Toddy palm tree (Htan Pin) grows especially in the rural area of the central dry zone of Myanmar such as Mandalay, Magway, and Sagaing Regions. Jaggery production is a traditional production in most villages in Kyauk Pa Daung, Myin Gyan, Taung Thar, We Laung, Ye Sa Gyo, Pa Kok Ku, Meik Ti La, Poppa, Bagan, and Nyaung Oo township. Other growing areas of toddy palm tree (Htan Pin) are located in lower Myanmar such as Tha Nin Thar Yi and Ayeyarwady Regions, as well as Dawei, Yebyu, and Thaton Districts.

Mr. Keum Gi Hyung had been working as the Director-General of ICHCAP since January 2019 until December 2021. Before joining ICHCAP, he served as the Director-General of Tourism Policy Bureau from 2017 to 2018 and Public Communication Policy Bureau from 2016 to 2017 at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea. He also served as the Director of Korean Cultural Center in Vietnam from 2009 to 2012. He also worked as a Senior Programme Specialist at the UNESCO Bangkok Office from 2005 to 2007. His academic background is in media and communication with Master's degree in University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Jyldyz Doolbekova is an anthropologist, researcher, and consultant with a background in traditional ecological knowledge, place-based education, and local development to support and preserve the biocultural diversity and the well-being of mountain local communities in Kyrgyzstan. \n\nShe participated in the research within the project "Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Contribution to SDGs - Community Education and Development" initiated and supported by International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in Asia-Pacific (IRCI, https://www.irci.jp/). The results of the study entitled "Visionary Local Communities in Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage in Kyrgyzstan" (2020), and "The Evolving Role of Community Museums in Intangible Cultural Heritage Preservation: A Case Study from Kyrgyzstan" (2021) were presented at the International Symposium in Tokyo (online).\n\nShe has 15 years of experience with the Christensen Fund Central Asia Program (California, San Francisco) as a Special Advisor, Program Manager, and Regional Coordinator. Before joining The Christensen Fund, she was the University Projects Officer for the Aga Khan Humanities Project (AKHP), based at project headquarters in Dushanbe (Tajikistan), where she developed and implemented programs in conjunction with Central Asian universities to promote pluralism in ideas, cultures, and people through innovative humanities curricula rooted in traditional arts and knowledge. \n\nShe received a Ph.D. in anthropology, ethnology, and ethnography with a thesis on "Traditional ecological culture of the Kyrgyz (on the example of the Murghab Kyrgyz in the mid-19th and early 20th centuries)" at the Institute of Cultural Heritage of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic; received the equivalent of her MA from Kyrgyz National University Department of History and also earned a Master’s in International Relations from the International University of Kyrgyzstan. \n\n

Keneshbek Almakuchukov is a researcher at the National History Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic. He is a Doctor of Economics (economics of culture). The topic of his doctoral dissertation was dedicated to “Marketing management in the sphere of culture”.\nDr. Almakuchukov has published a total of 36 scientific papers, including 7 monographs, and 3 textbooks.\n\nHe is also the head of the Public Foundation "Central Asia - Arts Management" which implements projects to support and develop bio-cultural diversity in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. His Foundation is well know for the organization of annual International Jazz Festivals since 2006 in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. In total, the foundation has organized about 17 International Jazz Festivals. \n\nIn 2021, Dr. Almakuchukov was in charge of the First Biennial (Forum) of Cultural Initiatives. The Biennale included an exhibition of the results of projects of 20 public organizations in the socio-cultural sphere, more than 20 creative events (master classes, performances, etc.), as well as a business program (panel sessions, open lectures, etc.).\n\nCurrently, he is engaged in museum activities and continues his research of cultural heritage-related topics. \n

Ms. Gulnara Ibragimova is the manager of the “International Education Center” at the Educational Complex “Ilim” a UNESCO Associated School. She is also the focal point for the UNESCO Associated Schools Network in Kyrgyzstan.\n\nEducational Complex “Ilim” was established in 1993 and has a long institutional history. Since 1995, it is part of the UNESCO Network of Associated Schools (ASPpnet). Currently, it coordinates the network activities in Kyrgyzstan among its 15 members. The Complex itself includes primary, secondary and high schools as well as kindergarten.\n\nThe school aims to ensure that students have a full conceptual understanding of the subjects they study and helps them to develop new skills that can be applied in real life. Since “Ilim” joined the ASPnet schools Network it also became a key promoter of UNESCO values in the country. It implements multidisciplinary projects related to intercultural learning, human rights, sustainable development, etc.\n\nGulnara is responsible for maintaining international communications, implementing supplementary education programs, and cultural exchanges, and developing academic mobility - attracting foreign teachers, with the aim of convergence educational standards, improving the quality of education as well as the organization and implementing of international cooperation projects with UNESCO. She is also responsible for maintaining contacts with the National Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic for UNESCO in the realization of joint activities and reporting.\n\nIn 2020-2021 she has supported a pilot project of UNESCO “Integrating the Living Heritage into Education in Asia and the Pacific Region” in Kyrgyzstan, by identifying schools for the project and monitoring their work progress. \n\nFrom 2013 to the present, she is also the director of the “Koldo Shop” Public Foundation, which work is aimed at supporting people from socially vulnerable segments of the population, and these are people with disabilities, single mothers, pensioners, and large families with financial difficulties. The Foundation created a trading and educational platform for artisans from this target audience. \n\n

Bhutan became a member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisations (UNESCO) on 13th April 1982. However, until 1 October 1986, Bhutan remained without a National Commission Secretariat. Sensing the need to establish a Secretariat as envisaged in the Charter, Bhutan National Commission for UNESCO (BNCU) was formed on 1st October 1986 under the command of His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo King Jigme Singye Wangchuck.\n\nThe permanent Secretariat, Bhutan National Commission for UNESCO (Bhutan Natcom) is attached to the Ministry of Education with the vision "To promote UNESCO's ideals of peace, and contribute to improve quality of education". The Chairman, Secretary General and Executive Committee Members comprising of 7 officials were appointed by the government.

Public Fund "Rural Development Fund" (RDF) is a non-profit non-governmental research organization, registered in November 2003.\n\nThe main activity of the RDF is to conduct applied research on various aspects of rural development, and the implementation of projects in the field of rural development and sustainable management of natural complexes that contribute to the development of policy and the decision making at the local and national level, the evaluation of ongoing projects and the development of recommendations to improve their effectiveness.\n\nThe RDF provides interactive adult education tailored to the needs and background of the rural population. The RDF is also involved in various exchange visits, facilitation and organization of international and national conferences, seminars and working group meetings.\n\nRDF has unique experience in conducting the research on pastoral traditional knowledge funded by the Christensen Fund, USA. They carried out the traditional knowledge research with the involvement of local researchers, which was very successful. RDF also conducted a study for the World Bank on traditional natural resource management and existing conflicts over natural resources.\n

China Folklore Society (CFS) has 2,256 registered members across the country. In June 2012, the CFS was accredited and now provides advisory services to the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding ICH. In November of 2014, the CFS was appointed as member of Evaluation Body by the Committee.

This organisation represents the traditional Gandharba music community, a community of occupational caste musicians, functioned as the sole organised means of information and entertainment for the numerous isolated communities across the mountains of Nepal. The Gandharba Cultural Art Organisation (GCAO) is a non-profit social organisation based in Kathmandu, Nepal. Since 1995, GCAO has endeavoured to keep the Gandharba traditions alive, and to improve their economic and educational status. They have plans of documenting the tradition as well as promoting it as they feel it is endangered. The GCAO represents the Gandharba in many rural districts of Nepal, such as Gorkha, Lamjung, Tanhun, Chitwan, Dhading, Palpa, Bhojpur, Dhang and Kaski, and is currently reaching out to incorporate further districts where Gandharba communities reside.