2016 Sub-Regional Meeting for Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding in Northeast Asia under theme of the Role of the Media in Raising Awareness about Intangible Cultural Heritage, was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 10-12 October 2016.
It was the second edition of dialogues on the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in the Northeast Asia sub-region, with a focus this time on media engagement.
The meeting was a positive affirmation of all five countries’ (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, People’s Republic of China, and Republic of Korea) resolution to foster constructive Intangible Cultural Heritage safeguarding methods following their unanimous ratification of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
A line up of activities for the event included an experience sharing session provided by field experts on the extent to which media can be utilized to raise awareness about a country’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, and also a dialogue on building media networks within and across the region in support of this same goal.
Naoko Sato, Senior Specialist in Cultural Properties Traditional Culture Division of Cultural Properties Department, Agency for Cultural Affairs shared Japanese experience on media role to safeguard ICH:
- Audiovisual materials like films are one of the best ways to record ICH
- Audiovisual materials allow the audience to understand ICH by appealing to their visual and auditory senses, and by offering real images of what ICH is.
- Technolgical developments have made it easy to copy films onto DVDs and other devices.
- Films are so easy to be copied and disseminated through media that the Agency has to be more discreet about their contents.
Enkhbat, Director of Mongolian Cultural Heritage Center mentioned the facing issues of medias on promoting the ICH. He noted: "Due to economic interest, media tools keen on taking paid programs and news hours. Media tools tend to broadcast more sensational information and content. So they are not really interested in broadcasting contents related to culture everyday".
Participants comprised of two delegates from each Member State in the Northeast Asian region, representatives from UNESCO Beijing and the Mongolia National Commission for UNESCO, the three Category 2 Centres in the field of ICH from the region (ICHCAP, CRIHAP, and IRCI) two international media experts and a number of local stakeholders in Mongolia.
"We are here to discuss the role of media for the safeguarding of the intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). It is an emerging issue in Asia Pacific region. The ICH is a pretty new concept. We need to promote the general awareness among people how to protect and safeguard the valuable cultures and treasures. We discuss a lot about the role of media and their contribution to the safeguarding the ICH. There are many challenges.
For the person engaged in the industry of media, they want support from the Government or the specialists of the ICH. We needed to have more time to discuss the solutions such as how to develop strategies and action programs for the safeguarding of our ICH.
It was a very wonderful meeting and I am very happy to visit in Mongolia once again. This is my 5th time. We hope that Mongolia will have responsibility in maintaining the nomadic culture. I am looking for better contribution from the Mongolian people in this regard.
Safeguarding means conservation, promotion, education, transmission and public awareness. We need to prepare the master plan for the safeguarding ICH by intersectoral approaches. Documentation process is also important. I think there are many ways to go. The most important thing is we should start now. Without stop, we should take all immediate action to take for the future of our ICH", stated by Kwon Huh, Director-General, International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region.
As of today, total of 391 ICH have inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Northeast Asia have received 93 certificates for ICH (Japan - 22, China - 38, South Korea - 18, North Korea - 2, Mongolia - 13).
Mongolian has inscribed following intangible cultural heritages on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
- Traditional folk long song (2008)
- The traditional music of the Morin Khuur (2008)
- Naadam Festival (2010)
- Mongolian traditional art of khuumei (2010)
- Falconry (2012)
- Traditional craftsmanship of the Mongol ger and its associated customs (2013)
- Mongolian knuckle-bone shooting (2014)
Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:
- Mongolian tuuli; Mongolian epic (2009)
- Mongol biyelgee: Mongolian traditional folk dance (2009)
- Traditional music of the tsuur (2009)
- Folk long song performance technique of Limbe performances – circular breathing (2011)
- Mongolian script (2013)
- Coaxing ritual for camels (2015)
2016 Sub-Regional Meeting for Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding in Northeast Asia under theme of the Role of the Media in Raising Awareness about Intangible Cultural Heritage, was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 10-12 October 2016.
It was the second edition of dialogues on the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in the Northeast Asia sub-region, with a focus this time on media engagement.
The meeting was a positive affirmation of all five countries’ (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, People’s Republic of China, and Republic of Korea) resolution to foster constructive Intangible Cultural Heritage safeguarding methods following their unanimous ratification of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.
A line up of activities for the event included an experience sharing session provided by field experts on the extent to which media can be utilized to raise awareness about a country’s Intangible Cultural Heritage, and also a dialogue on building media networks within and across the region in support of this same goal.
Naoko Sato, Senior Specialist in Cultural Properties Traditional Culture Division of Cultural Properties Department, Agency for Cultural Affairs shared Japanese experience on media role to safeguard ICH:
- Audiovisual materials like films are one of the best ways to record ICH
- Audiovisual materials allow the audience to understand ICH by appealing to their visual and auditory senses, and by offering real images of what ICH is.
- Technolgical developments have made it easy to copy films onto DVDs and other devices.
- Films are so easy to be copied and disseminated through media that the Agency has to be more discreet about their contents.
Enkhbat, Director of Mongolian Cultural Heritage Center mentioned the facing issues of medias on promoting the ICH. He noted: "Due to economic interest, media tools keen on taking paid programs and news hours. Media tools tend to broadcast more sensational information and content. So they are not really interested in broadcasting contents related to culture everyday".
Participants comprised of two delegates from each Member State in the Northeast Asian region, representatives from UNESCO Beijing and the Mongolia National Commission for UNESCO, the three Category 2 Centres in the field of ICH from the region (ICHCAP, CRIHAP, and IRCI) two international media experts and a number of local stakeholders in Mongolia.
"We are here to discuss the role of media for the safeguarding of the intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). It is an emerging issue in Asia Pacific region. The ICH is a pretty new concept. We need to promote the general awareness among people how to protect and safeguard the valuable cultures and treasures. We discuss a lot about the role of media and their contribution to the safeguarding the ICH. There are many challenges.
For the person engaged in the industry of media, they want support from the Government or the specialists of the ICH. We needed to have more time to discuss the solutions such as how to develop strategies and action programs for the safeguarding of our ICH.
It was a very wonderful meeting and I am very happy to visit in Mongolia once again. This is my 5th time. We hope that Mongolia will have responsibility in maintaining the nomadic culture. I am looking for better contribution from the Mongolian people in this regard.
Safeguarding means conservation, promotion, education, transmission and public awareness. We need to prepare the master plan for the safeguarding ICH by intersectoral approaches. Documentation process is also important. I think there are many ways to go. The most important thing is we should start now. Without stop, we should take all immediate action to take for the future of our ICH", stated by Kwon Huh, Director-General, International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region.
As of today, total of 391 ICH have inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Northeast Asia have received 93 certificates for ICH (Japan - 22, China - 38, South Korea - 18, North Korea - 2, Mongolia - 13).
Mongolian has inscribed following intangible cultural heritages on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity:
- Traditional folk long song (2008)
- The traditional music of the Morin Khuur (2008)
- Naadam Festival (2010)
- Mongolian traditional art of khuumei (2010)
- Falconry (2012)
- Traditional craftsmanship of the Mongol ger and its associated customs (2013)
- Mongolian knuckle-bone shooting (2014)
Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding:
- Mongolian tuuli; Mongolian epic (2009)
- Mongol biyelgee: Mongolian traditional folk dance (2009)
- Traditional music of the tsuur (2009)
- Folk long song performance technique of Limbe performances – circular breathing (2011)
- Mongolian script (2013)
- Coaxing ritual for camels (2015)