IRCI
National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage
in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI)
2 cho, Mozusekiun-cho, Sakai-ku, Sakai City, Osaka 590-0802, Japan
Tel: +81-72-275-8050 Fax: +81-72-275-8151
http//www.irci.jp

Shin-Osaka
To Namba

Osaka

City OfficeHankai Line

Sakaihigashi

Tennoji
JR Hanwa Line

Nan

kai

Koy

a Lin

e

Mikunigaoka

GoryomaeNintokuTenno-ryo
Kofun
Bus Stop
Hakubutsukan-mae
Goryo Street

IRCI

Mozu

To Kansai Airport

National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

International Research Centre
for Intangible Cultural Heritage
in the Asia-Pacific Region

2016

IRCI and UNESCO

Contents

IRCI and UNESCO
Overview of IRCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
UNESCO Category 2 Centres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Operation of IRCI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
What is Intangible Cultural Heritage? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Strategies and Projects for FY 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Main Projects
Mapping Studies on the Safeguarding of ICH (FY 2013 - FY 2019) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Research on ICH Safeguarding and Disaster-Risk Management (FY 2016 -) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Research for Safeguarding Endangered Intangible Cultural Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1. Research for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage on the Verge of Extinction:
Vietnamese ICH Element Dong Ho Woodblock Printing (FY 2013 - FY 2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2. Research for Endangered Traditional Handicrafts in Post-Conflict States (Sri Lanka)(FY 2013 - FY 2015) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3. Documentation of ICH as a Tool for Community-led Safeguarding Activities(FY 2012 - FY 2014) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

4. Study of Legal Systems related to Intangible Cultural Heritage
in the Greater Mekong Region (FY 2013 - FY 2016) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Overview of IRCIThe International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI) was establishedin October 2011 as a Category 2 Centre of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO). At the 35th Session of the General Conference of UNESCO held in 2009, the proposal of the“Establishment in Japan of the International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-PacificRegion as a Category 2 Centre under the auspices of UNESCO” was approved. In August of the following year, anagreement was concluded between the Government of Japan and UNESCO, and the Centre officially opened as oneof the institutions of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage (NICH) of Japan. Its office is now located in Sakai
City, Osaka.
IRCI’s objectives are to promote the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage(the 2003 Convention) and its implementation, and to enhance the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage(ICH) through instigating, facilitating, and coordinating research in the Asia-Pacific region. In recent years, many
elements of ICH are endangered throughout the world. To ensure cultural diversity for future generations andcontribute to a sustainable society, IRCI is working for the safeguarding of ICH in close cooperation with UNESCO
and other related institutions such as universities, research institutions, governmental and non-governmentalorganisations, museums, and communities worldwide.

Annex
International Meetings and Workshops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Reports and Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Website Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Universities,
Research Institutions,
Museums, etc.

UNESCOInternational Research Centre
for Intangible Cultural Heritage
in the Asia-Pacific Region(IRCI)
Logo of UNESCO

Logo of
UNESCO
Intangible
Cultural
Heritage

Logo of IRCI
Culture is an important element andheritage that imparts richness to nations. To
transmit intangible cultural heritage throughgenerations, connections among people arenecessary. The IRCI logo incorporates theJapanese character for “culture” to indicate“people”, who are the bearers of culture. Thisis symbolic of our vision of culture beingtransmitted from person to person withincommunities and groups. The backgroundcolours represent the Asia-Pacific region,
with green signifying mountains, yellow theland, and blue the ocean.

IRCI International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

Communities

Governmental
and
Non-Governmental
Organisations

1

IRCI and UNESCO

UNESCO Category 2 Centres

UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage

Category 2 Centres are institutions that serve to contribute to the achievement of UNESCO’s strategic objectives.
There are currently eight UNESCO Category 2 Centres around the world, including Japan, in the field of thesafeguarding of ICH. In the Asia-Pacific region, in addition to IRCI, there are Category 2 Centres in China and theRepublic of Korea, with which IRCI cooperates and works in tandem. The three centres have different mandates:
research for IRCI, information and networking for the International Information and Networking Centre for
Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (ICHCAP) in the Republic of Korea, and training activities for
the International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (CRIHAP) in China.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was founded in 1945 for the purpose ofpromoting international collaboration in the fields of education, science, culture, and communication. Among its activities isthe adoption of international conventions. Regarding culture, there are a total of seven conventions, from the Convention
Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention), which was adopted at the17th Session of the General Conference (1972), to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural
Expressions, which was adopted at the 33rd Session of the General Conference (2005). Among them is the Convention for the
Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (the 2003 Convention), which was adopted in 2003, about 30 years after theratification of the World Heritage Convention which aims to preserve and protect tangible cultural heritage.
The 2003 Convention was the outcome of discussions held at UNESCO since the 1950s for the purpose of safeguarding
folklore, including oral traditions and folk arts. The Convention has four objectives: (1) to safeguard intangible cultural
heritage; (2) to ensure respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned; (3) toraise awareness at the local, national and international levels of the importance of intangible cultural heritage; and (4) toprovide for international cooperation and assistance.
Intangible cultural heritage is defined in the text of the Convention as follows: “practices, representations, expressions,knowledge, skills - as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith - that communities,groups and, in some cases, individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage.” (Article 2(1)). More specifically, they are: (1)oral traditions and expressions, including language as a vehicle of the intangible cultural heritage; (2) performing arts; (3)social practices, rituals and festive events; (4) knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; and (5) traditional
craftsmanship. States Parties to the Convention are required to draw up inventories of their own intangible cultural heritage(Article 12).

From left: Mr Wataru Iwamoto (Director of IRCI),
Ms Rong Xu (Director of CRIHAP), Mr Kwon Huh (Director of ICHCAP)

There are two organs through which decisions regarding the Convention are made. One is the General Assembly of States
Parties, which meets every other year to decide strategic directions to be taken for promoting the objectives of theConvention. The other is the Intergovernmental Committee, which is made up of member states elected by the General
Assembly. The Intergovernmental Committee, composed of 24 states, is held once a year and works for the concrete
implementation of the Convention. Its most important roles are to deliberate on inscriptions on two lists of intangible cultural
heritage and to decide on best practices for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage.

Operation of IRCIIRCI activities are implemented with the approval of its Governing Board. The Governing Board is made up of 10
experts and representatives of specialised institutions inside and outside Japan including a UNESCO representative.
The Governing Board deliberates and approves all IRCI activities, including long-term and medium-term
programmes, work plans, and reports. In addition, when planning such programmes, IRCI’s Advisory Body provides
their professional perspectives.

National Institutes for Cultural Heritage

In Articles 16 and 17, the 2003 Convention requires inscriptions on two lists, namely the “List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in
Need of Urgent Safeguarding” (Urgent Safeguarding List) and the “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity” (Representative List). The Representative List of the 2003 Convention takes the standpoint of not placing higher
value upon one intangible cultural heritage than the other. The Representative List is merely to identify the diverse cultural
heritage of humanity around the world, and aims to bring international awareness. In the implementation of the 2003
Convention, more emphasis is placed on the Urgent Safeguarding List than the Representative List, and in this regard, it differsfrom the World Heritage Convention. The 2003 Convention focuses on the practitioners’ daily lives in relation to ICH, and thus
encourages the participation of communities to which the practitioners belong (Article 15).

UNESCO

Many member states that have ratified the 2003 Convention currently suffer from poverty, low rates of literacy, a lack ofexperts, a lack of interest among young people, urbanisation, conflict, and war. For this reason, assistance in developing legal
systems, training of human resources, financial assistance, sustainable education, and so forth are seen as necessary. As
particular emphasis is placed on the Urgent Safeguarding List laid forth in Article 17, it follows that an appropriate framework
for international assistance and safeguarding measures need to be developed.

Governing Board

Director-General

IRCI

IRCI has implemented research projects in close cooperation with UNESCO and other related institutions such as universities,
research institutions, governmental and non-governmental organisations, museums, and communities worldwide. One
example is a community-led documentation of ICH in danger of disappearing since 2012, conducted through discussions withpractitioners of arts and craftsmanship and government officials. With a focus on the process by which elements of ICH havebecome in danger of disappearing, IRCI has used a variety of methodologies to make audiovisual documentation. As a
research institution, IRCI aims to share the outcomes of such research with the communities and contribute to safeguarding
ICH. This is because, as stated above, the 2003 Convention places strong emphasis on communities, in other words, people
who maintain and transmit ICH.

Advisory Body

Deputy Director-General

General Affairs Division

IRCI International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

Research Division

2

3

IRCI and UNESCO

Strategies and Projects for FY 2016

What is Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)?

With the purpose of safeguarding ICH in the Asia-Pacific region, IRCI has carried out a range of activities utilising
networks both within and outside Japan. In FY 2016, IRCI is pursuing the following three projects:

ICH is living cultural heritage. Although it transforms over time, it is transmitted from generation to generation andgives us cultural identity and richness. In the text of the 2003 Convention, the following examples of ICH areprovided:● Mapping Studies on the Safeguarding of ICH (FY 2013 - FY 2019)

Oral Traditions
and Expressions● Research on ICH Safeguarding and Disaster-Risk Management (FY 2016 -)● Study of Legal Systems related to Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Greater Mekong
Region (FY 2013 - FY 2016)
Hudhud chants of the Ifugao (Philippines)© 2008, by J. Uñalivia/NCCA-ICH,
with the permission of UNESCO

Tradition of Vedic chanting (India)© Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, India,
with the permission of UNESCO

Current situation of ICH
in Asia-Pacific region

Performing Arts

Risk factors such as...

Poverty
Royal ballet of Cambodia (Cambodia)© International Research Centre for Intangible
Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region(IRCI), 2013

Cooperation with researchers
and research institutes
Research promotion andresearchers’ network construction(mapping, etc.)

Enhance researchfor
ICH safeguarding

Ca trù singing (Viet Nam)
© 2006, Vietnamese Institute for Musicology.
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourismof Vietnam, with the permission of UNESCO

Education

Social Practices,
Rituals and Festive Events

Study of legal systems

Conflicts

Disasters
Mask dance of the drums from Drametse (Bhutan)© 2007, by Institute of Language and Cultural
Studies – Semtokha Bhutan,
with the permission of UNESCO

Disaster-risk management

Promote safeguardingof ICHRoyal ancestral ritual in the Jongmyo shrine
and its music (Republic of Korea)© National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage,
2008, with the permission of UNESCO

Knowledge andPractices Concerning Natureand the Universe
Acupuncture and moxibustionof traditional Chinese medicine (China)© Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion,
2009, with the permission of UNESCO

Tugging rituals and games (Cambodia,
Philippines, Republic of Korea, Viet Nam)
© Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies,
2013, with the permission of UNESCO

Traditional CraftsmanshipIndonesian Batik (Indonesia)

Ojiya-chijimi, Echigo-jofu (Japan)© Batik Museum Institute, Pekalongan, 2008,
with the permission of UNESCO© 1998, by Association for the Conservationof Techniques for Echigo-jofu, Ojiya-Chijimi,
with the permission of UNESCOIRCI International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

45

Main Projects

Main Projects

Investigated Countries: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Islamic
Republic of Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia,
Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Palau, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uzbekistan,Vanuatu, Viet Nam (25 countries)

Mapping Studies on the Safeguarding of ICH (FY 2013 - FY 2019)
Since there is currently a lack of research and expert information on the safeguarding of ICH in the Asia-Pacificregion, it is necessary to perceive the underlying challenges on safeguarding and to pursue concrete research
aimed at resolving those issues. IRCI has been implementing the following three mapping projects: (1) conduct asurvey on relevant countries, experts, and research activities; (2) analyse safeguarding measures on a per-topic
basis; and (3) develop a public database. The importance of this project has been affirmed in strong terms by
UNESCO.
In order to understand the overall picture of the safeguarding of ICH, it is necessary to collaborate and shareknowledge among individual experts. To share the information, it should first be systematically organised andvisualised. Once such information is shared, we can clarify and prioritise the remaining issues in order to seek thebest solutions.
Based on these efforts in academic research, activities to safeguard ICH is made possible through partnerships
with UNESCO and international experts. For this reason, IRCI is not simply a research institute on ICH, but also plays
the role of linking international experts together with UNESCO.
As part of this project, IRCI has collected information from the existing literature, research institutes, andresearchers from 25 countries out of the 47 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. International meetings based on the
results of the surveys have been held in Bangkok (Thailand), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).
Building on the above work done so far, IRCI is working to combine the following three projects in the mosteffective way possible:

Kazakhstan
Mongolia
Uzbekistan
Kyrgyzstan
Republic of Korea

China

Tajikistan
Afghanistan

Japan

Nepal

Islamic Republic of Iran

Bangladesh
Lao People's Democratic Republic

India

MyanmarCambodia
ThailandSri Lanka

Palau

Viet Nam
Malaysia● Organising an international experts meeting
In FY 2016, IRCI will conduct more detailed literature surveys according to the results of the meetings held to date andorganise an international meeting with invited experts from overseas in Sakai City, Osaka, to review and analyse theresults of those surveys. It also aims to discuss concurrently issues and strategies concerning ICH research.

Vanuatu● Collecting information through literature surveys

Fiji

Australia

Although valuable research findings on ICH in the Asia-Pacific region were shared at the 2015 Bishkek meeting, there have
yet to be surveys performed in many countries within the region. For this reason, IRCI will continue to conduct systematic
literature surveys, including those major countries in the Asia-Pacific region for which there are gaps in information.

● Constructing a database
From FY 2014, IRCI released a searchable database of information on relevant literature, experts, institutions, andadministrative officials involved with the safeguarding of ICH in the Asia-Pacific region. The database currently contains
around 1,300 entries, which aims to contribute to building an environment that can serve as the foundations forfacilitating research activities and the exchange of information.
With the cooperation of experts as well as national archives, libraries, and related institutions in the Asia-Pacific region,
we will continue to add and disseminate the information obtained in the course of literature surveys in nine languages, in

New Zealandaddition to English and Japanese.

Database

IRCI International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

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Main Projects

Research for Safeguarding Endangered ICH

Research on ICH Safeguarding andDisaster-Risk Management (FY 2016 -)Since FY 2012, IRCI has also been conducting projects with a focus on ICH in danger of disappearing.
Asia-Pacific countries are frequently exposed to various natural hazards, including earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones,
floods, and volcanic eruptions, all of which have severe impacts. Devastating cyclones that hit Vanuatu in 2015 andFiji in 2016 are just some examples of such natural disasters. According to the World Risk Index (an index that
describes in numerical terms the vulnerability and exposure of countries to natural disasters), which was developedby the United Nations University, most of the countries with high risk scores are located in Asia and the Pacific, afact which poses concerns regarding the impact of such natural disasters on ICH.
Given such circumstances, there has been a growing international awareness regarding the disaster-riskmanagement of cultural heritage, as the new framework of disaster-risk management “Sendai Framework for
Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030” adopted at the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction includes
the importance of safeguarding cultural heritage. Nevertheless, practical measures to safeguard ICH in the processof disaster reduction, mitigation, and recovery have yet to be outlined. Furthermore, cases have been reported thatthe revitalisation of local festivals and rituals contributed to the mental sustenance of the people and community
recovery, in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the associated tsunami in 2011.
Since FY 2016, IRCI has been conducting basic studies of ICH in the Asia-Pacific region that have been affected bynatural disasters in the past 10 years, and exploring the cases of various countries such as Vanuatu, the Philippines,
and Viet Nam, in cooperation with the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. In the process ofcollecting information, which includes field research, impacts caused by the event, supports received/needed, andthe roles ICH played in the recovery/support process will be assessed. This will provide a baseline for developing
effective safeguarding measures that could be utilised by government officials in the Asia-Pacific region andinternational organisations in the fields of ICH and disaster-risk management.

1 . Research for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage on the Verge of Extinction:
Vietnamese ICH Element Dong Ho Woodblock Printing (FY 2013 - FY 2015)
In the village of Dong Ho in Bac Ninh Province in the north of Viet Nam, woodblock prints have traditionally been created astalismans to decorate the Lunar New Year festivities. Dong Ho woodblock prints, made from natural materials, embody hopes
for fortune in the future, and as such feature symbols of good fortune.
However, a decline in woodblock craftsmen primarily due to the impact of the Vietnam War and the rapid urbanisation andindustrialisation resulting from the introduction of market economies pursued as part of the Đổi Mới (economic reforms) Policy
brought about changes to the lifestyles that had existed until then, and the transmission of Dong Ho woodblock printing
techniques is now in danger. Given these circumstances, the Government of Viet Nam issued an urgent request to IRCI, and as aresult a joint research project for the safeguarding of the woodblock techniques was carried out.
In the first year of the project, basic surveys on practitioners of woodblock printing techniques were conducted incooperation with the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS), a national research institution. After analysing
critical factors, with the cooperation of Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, visits were made to Kanazawa Utatsuyama Kogei Kobo
(Art Studio) and other institutions to have discussions on good practices of ICH safeguarding measures in Japan. In thefollowing year, final workshops were held in Dong Ho village and Hanoi, co-organised by IRCI and VICAS. At the workshops,
discussions were held to summarise the outcomes of the project with practitioners, researchers, and administrative officials
debating with each other at the same table. In addition, Japanese experts were invited to present proposals for transmitting
woodblock printing based on examples in Japan of safeguarding and reviving ICH. The proceedings were put together as theresults of the research project in its final year and published as a report (in English and Vietnamese).
There were mainly two significant accomplishments of this project. Firstly, it contributed to the preparation of the submission
file of the Dong Ho Woodblock Printing for the Representative List of the Convention by the Government of Viet Nam. Secondly,
a community museum aiming at practitioner-led sustainable safeguarding has been discussed and planned, and its
establishment is underway in Dong Ho village.

Damage caused by cyclone in Vanuatu in March 2015
© National Institutes for Cultural Heritage
Research workshop on role of community centre (Hanoi, Viet Nam, January 2015)

Discussion at Intangible Cultural Heritage Unit, National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA) (Manila, Philippines, July 2016)

IRCI International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

Practitioners of Dong Ho Woodblock Painting discussing ontransmission of ICH (Bac Ninh Province, Viet Nam, January 2015)

8

Visit to studio of Dong Ho Woodblock Painting(Bac Ninh Province, Viet Nam, January 2015)

9

Main Projects

2. Research for Endangered Traditional Handicrafts in Post-Conflict States (Sri Lanka)(FY 2013 - FY 2015)
Until the formal declaration of the cessation of hostilities by the government in 2009, Sri Lanka was embroiled in a civil war that
raged for over 30 years. In the Northern and Eastern provinces, which were the two provinces most affected by the civil war, thealleviation of poverty and the establishment of sustainable livelihoods are particularly urgent matters. As part of those efforts,
IRCI decided to focus on the importance of reviving ICH (traditional textiles and woven handicrafts) that has been passed down
to the surviving women as a potential way to reconstruct their livelihood contributing to sustainable peace building. The
project was implemented in cooperation with the Government of Sri Lanka with the purpose of reviving these handicrafts.
Discussion Meeting on Endangered Traditional Handicrafts in Sri Lanka(Toyama City, Japan, December 2015)

In the first year of the project, workshops and field surveys were conducted in 10 areas in the Northern and Eastern provinces,and basic data were obtained on practitioners and handicrafts on a per-category basis. In those efforts, IRCI held numerous
dialogues with representatives of craftswomen and of the National Crafts Council, Ministry of Traditional Industries and SmallEnterprise Development of Sri Lanka, and made recommendations for craft revitalisation. The points that were stressed in thisprocess were that: it is urgently important to conduct specific surveys through international cooperation; obtain detailed
information of surviving artisans of these handicrafts in doing so; and that the products that form the livelihood of the surviving
craftswomen, as well as designs, brand development, and capacity building are the keys to regional stability. IRCI put together
the results of the first year of the project in a report, met with six Sri Lankan ministry officials, including the Minister of National
Heritage, the Minister of Culture and the Arts, and the Minister of Industry and Commerce, handed the report directly to theseofficials, and exchanged opinions with them. Through these meetings, IRCI and the Sri Lankan Government were able to share

Meeting on further cooperation with Hon. Minister Douglas Devananda,
Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development(Colombo, Sri Lanka, September 2014)

further issues concerning the recommendations and summarise concrete arguments for a resolution of those issues.
Over the two years from FY 2014 to FY 2015, IRCI invited practitioners, government officials, and researchers to Japan to havean intensive discussion session on the recommendations. This project was implemented in cooperation with Indian NGOs andthe UNESCO New Delhi Office. Not only for Sri Lanka but also for all countries that have experienced conflict and war, the

3. Documentation of ICH as a Tool for Community-led Safeguarding Activities

sustainable transmission of traditional culture by the locals play a major role in the process of building stability and peace. IRCI(FY 2012 - FY 2014)

hopes to bring to bear its case study of revitalising traditional handicraft in Sri Lanka on practical research on restoration andrevitalisation in Afghanistan and other areas.

Audio-visual documentation of ICH is crucial in restoring and reviving ICH that are in danger of disappearing. While it is true that
academic researchers and representatives of media outlets have made numerous audio-visual recordings of such elements ofIndia

JaffnaICH, these recordings have necessarily been planned in accordance with the subjective purposes of those doing the
documenting. Almost none of them have arisen from the needs of the community. Since its inception, IRCI has fielded views
from those stating, for example, “Because the processes for the ritual are performed only by the elderly, we want to document

Northern
Province
Vavuniya

those processes,” “Younger people have made the ceremony shorter, but we want to record and pass on the proper meaning of

Trincomalee

the processes,” “The dyeing processes involving woodblock print techniques have been developed by the elderly, and we want
to document those processes on video for future use.” To ensure the continued transmission of ICH, it is extremely important
for the “practitioners involved to be aware of and identify endangered elements of ICH,” to then “lead the effort to document

Batticaloa

Eastern
Province

Artisan from Northern Province,
Sri Lanka

them,” and “plan their documentation with a view to utilising that record.”

Artisan from Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

Nonetheless, documentation of ICH, in terms of both technology and process, have not been known to many practitioners.
As the community encompasses people with various values, there are many steps to be taken before the actual documentation

Colomboprocedure. IRCI brought up this topic at an intensive researchers meeting in 2012. At the meeting, it was concluded that it is

Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte

important to recommend methods of documentation and concrete documentation guidelines. As a result, the “Guidelines forDocumentation of ICH as a Tool for Community-led Safeguarding Activities” were created. In the next step, to verify that the

Sri Lanka
0

Guidelines are of practical use to communities and other related parties, practitioners of ICH from six communities in five100km

countries were enlisted to look at elements of their communities’ ICH currently endangered or that might be endangered
sometime in the future. They were asked to discuss within the community the best plans for having the practitioners of thecommunity lead efforts to film the parts (including processes) that were endangered as well as the elements of ICH itself, andhow to utilise the recorded footage. Lastly, discussions were held again with researchers concerning plans to utilise documentary
footage, and the outcomes of those discussions were compiled in 2016 as a case study.

Practitioners presenting on revitalisation of craft techniques
at workshop (Toyama City, Japan, December 2015)

This research was conducted jointly by specialists in visual ethnography from Leiden University and IRCI. A total of 34
practitioners and researchers participated in this project.

IRCI International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

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Main Projects

4. Study of Legal Systems related to Intangible Cultural Heritage
in the Greater Mekong Region (FY 2013 - FY 2016)

First stage: ICH selection and developmentof revitalisation plans

To safeguard ICH, each country must establish legal systems to suit its own particular circumstances. By having laws set forth by the( 1) Understand the purpose of the project( 2) Identify endangered ICH within the community( 3) Visualise an action plan for the revitalisation of the ICH( 4) Other ( learning basic information such as copyrights )state, it becomes possible to gain an understanding of the elements of ICH present in that country, create inventories, document
those elements, and take appropriate steps to safeguard them. However, there are many countries whose domestic laws are notwell-defined. In such countries, because elements of ICH have yet to be identified or specified, it is difficult to implement
measures that lead to sustainable transmission, and in the event that such a country suffers the consequences of long-term civil
war, political instability, or natural disasters, there will be many difficulties encountered in the process of trying to restore that

Second stage: Explain the recording plansin the community

heritage. Some such countries are currently trying to draft relevant laws, but because many of them have no experience of
creating laws concerning ICH and it is extremely difficult to draft such legislation relying only on administrative officials and( 1 ) Create recording plans( 2) Explain the project to community leaders, etc.,
to gain understanding and cooperation in recording

experts within such a country, there is a great need for advice and support from foreign experts with extensive experience.
With the cooperation of the Faculty of Law of Kyushu University, IRCI began a project to study the legal systems of thecountries in the Greater Mekong region. Through field research and international workshops, the aim of the project is to analyse

Recordingthe issues in the process of drafting legislation, and ultimately to create a “tool-kit” for planning legal mechanisms that can beutilised by member states that do not have laws governing ICH as they go through the process of developing such legislation.
In Japan, as a result of the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties, which entered into force in 1950, inventories wereThird stage: Share at workshops recorded content
and challenges faced

made of domestic ICH, and policies to research and preserve these elements of ICH were implemented. In addition, local
government authorities have in place ordinances to safeguard cultural( 1) Categorise/identify challenges faced when recording or preparing to record( 2) Present recordings and reports in workshops( 3 ) Summarise into reports

heritage. Because cases such as this in Japan could be extremely useful

Hanoi

Myanmarfor countries now seeking to draft laws, at the 2015 international

Laos

Naypyidaw

workshop concerning conventions among local government authorities

Vientiane
Yangonin Japan and activities by practitioners was held, with cooperation fromThailandToyama Prefecture and Takaoka City. In 2016, IRCI plans to organise the

Bangkok

final workshop in Viet Nam, where we will put together the outcomes of

Cambodia

the project to date.

Phnom Penh

In addition to the experts from Kyushu University, two other experts arecollaborating with the IRCI research team, and a total of 50 participatedin this project.

Discussion on utilisation of audio-visual documentation in communities(Tsuruoka City, Japan, February 2013)

Viet Nam

Mekong River
01000 Km

Field study of “Rousoku Noh” performance(Ogi Kaikan, Yamagata, Japan, February 2013)

Field research on transmission of traditional crafts(NOUSAKU Corporation, Japan, December 2015)

Workshop for Community’s Young Film Makers
for ICH Audio-Visual Documentation (Tokyo National Museum, February 2014)IRCI International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

Presentation at workshop on safeguarding systemfor cultural properties in Toyama(Toyama Prefectural Civic Centre, Japan, December 2015)

Field research on study of current legal systems related to ICH
in Myanmar (August 2015)1213

AnnexAnnex
International Meetings and Workshops
Project/Theme

Mapping Studies
on the Safeguarding of ICH

Study of Legal Systems
Related to ICH in
the Greater Mekong Region

Research for Safeguarding
Intangible Cultural Heritageon the Verge of Extinction:
Vietnamese ICH Element Dong
Ho Woodblock Printing

Research for Endangered
Traditional Handicrafts
in Post-Conflict States(Sri Lanka)

Documentation of ICH asa Tool for Community-led
Safeguarding Activities

Safeguarding the ICH for
the Promotion of Cultural
Identity and Community
Resilience in Timor-Leste

Research on the 2003
Convention
Current Status of ICH,
in Particular, Research andStudies on ICH in Urgent
Need of Safeguarding

Symposiums in Cooperation
with Sakai City, Osaka,
Japan

International Meeting/Workshop

Cooperating Institutions/Experts/Researchers

Year

Month

Co-Organiser

2016

11

IRCI Experts Meeting on Mapping Project for ICH Safeguarding
in the Asia-Pacific Region

2015

12

IRCI Experts Meeting on Mapping Project for ICH Safeguarding
in the Asia-Pacific Countries

Aigine Cultural Research Center,
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

2015

1

International Experts Meeting of the Project “Mapping Researchon the Safeguarding of ICH in the Asia-Pacific Region”

Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia

2014

2

Preliminary Meeting of the Project “Exploring Research
for the Safeguarding of ICH in the Asia-Pacific Region”

UNESCO Bangkok Office,Thailand2016

12

IRCI Final Workshop on the Study of Legal Systems Related to ICH
in the Greater Mekong Region

Mr Toshiyuki Kono (Professor, Faculty of Law, Kyushu University, Japan)
Ms Susan McIntyre-Tamwoy(Associate Director, Extent Heritage Pty Limited, Australia)
Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS)
Mr Toshiyuki Kono (Professor, Faculty of Law, Kyushu University, Japan)
Ms Susan McIntyre-Tamwoy(Associate Director, Extent Heritage Pty Limited, Australia)
Ms Katie O’Rourke (Director, Katie O’Rourke Consulting, Australia)
Mr Steven Van Uytsel(Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Kyushu University, Japan)
Toyama Prefecture, Toyama City, Takaoka City, Kyoto City, JapanNOUSAKU Corporation, Japan
Musashigawa Studio, Japan

2015

12

IRCI Second Workshop on the Study of Legal Systems Related to ICH
in the Greater Mekong Region

2014

12

IRCI First Workshop on the Study of Legal Systems Related to ICH
in Southeast Asia

Faculty of Law, Kyushu University,
Japan

Mr Toshiyuki Kono (Professor, Faculty of Law, Kyushu University, Japan)
Mr Steven Van Uytsel(Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, Kyushu University, Japan)

2015

1

Workshop on the Roles of the Community Centre in ICH Revitalization:
A Case Study of Dong Ho Woodblock Printing

Vietnam National Institute of Cultureand Arts Studies (VICAS)

Government of Viet Nam
Bac Ninh Province, Viet Nam
Mr Seishi Namiki (Professor, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Japan)

2015

12

Discussion Meeting on Endangered Traditional Handicrafts in Sri Lanka

2015

3

Intensive Working Session on ICH Documentation
as a Tool for Community-led Safeguarding Activities

2014

2

Workshop for Community’s Young Film Makers
for ICH Audio-Visual Documentation

2013

2

Workshop on ICH Documentation
as a Tool for Community Safeguarding Activities

2012

3

Intensive Researchers Meeting on Communities andthe 2003 Convention

2013

10

Study Tour for ICH Experts of East Timorese

UNESCO New Delhi Office, India
National Craft Council (NCC), Sri Lanka
Ms Himali Jinadasa(Director-General, Sri Lanka Export Development Board (SLEDB))
Mr Seiki Ishii(Fujitsu Design Limited/Product Designer, SEIKI DESIGN STUDIO, Japan)

Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan
National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan (Tokyo National Museum,
Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties)
Oga City, Akita, Yuki City, Ibaraki, Japan

UNESCO Jakarta Office, Indonesia

2013

1

2013 IRCI Meeting on ICH - Evaluating the Inscription Criteria
for the Two Lists of UNESCO’s ICH Convention

2012

6

The First ICH-Research Forum: The Implementationof UNESCO’s 2003 Convention

Maison des Cultures du Monde(MCM), France

2012

8

International Field School Alumni Seminar on Safeguarding ICH
in the Asia-PacificPrincess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
Anthropology Centre (SAC),
Thailand2016

112016 International Symposium on ICH Safeguarding
in the Asia-Pacific Region “Transmitting Art and Spirit of ICH”

Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan
Sakai City

2013

8

International Symposium in Celebration of the 10th Anniversaryof the Convention for the Safeguarding of ICH

Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan
Sakai City

Japan Arts Council

2013

2

Symposium on ICH in the Asia-Pacific Region“ICH in the Asia-Pacific Region - Current Status and Important Issues”

Sakai City

National Museum of Ethnology, Japan

IRCI Opening Commemorative Symposium

Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan
Sakai City

Japan Arts Council

2011

10

IRCI International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

Maison des Cultures du Monde (MCM), France

14

Workshop on the Roles of the Community Centrein ICH Revitalization: A Case Study of Dong Ho Woodblock Printing(Bac Ninh Province, Viet Nam, January 2015)

Preliminary Meeting of the Project “Exploring Research
for the Safeguarding of ICH in the Asia-Pacific Region”(Bangkok, Thailand, February 2014)

International Symposium in Celebration of the 10th Anniversaryof the Convention for the Safeguarding of ICH(Sakai City, Osaka, August 2013)

International Field School Alumni Seminar on Safeguarding ICH
in the Asia-Pacific (Lamphun Province, Thailand, August 2012)15

AnnexWebsite Information (http://www.irci.jp)

Reports and Publications

In an effort to make the fruits of our activities available in as many of the pertinent countries as possible, IRCI
offers information on its website in 11 languages (Japanese, English, Urdu, Khmer, Sinhala, Thai, Tamil, Hindi,
Vietnamese, Myanmar language, and Lao).

The Training Course for Safeguardingof Intangible Cultural Heritage 2011
Final Report (2011)

The First Intensitive Researchers
Meeting on Communities andthe 2003 Convention: “Documentationof Intangible Cultural Heritage asa Tool for Community’s Safeguarding
Activities” (July 2012)

The First ICH-Researchers Forum:“The Implementation of UNESCO’s
2003 Convention”

Urdu
Khmer

(September 2012)
ISBN 978-4-9906647-0-1

Sinhala

Thai
Tamil
Hindi
2012 International Field School
Alumni Seminar on Safeguarding
Intangible Cultural Heritage
in the Asia Pacific(February 2013)2013 IRCI Meeting on ICH
Evaluating the Inscription Criteria
for the Two of UNESCO’s Intangible
Cultural Heritage Convention (Final
Report) (March 2013)

Towards Safeguarding Endangered
Traditional Crafts in Post-Conflict
Areas of Sri Lanka (English edition)(September 2014)
ISBN 978-4-9906647-4-9

ISBN 978-4-9906647-1-8

Vietnamese
Myanmar language
Lao
National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region20162013 Study Tour Report: Toward
Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural
Heritage for the Promotionof Cultural Identity and Community
Resilience in Timor-Leste

Towards Safeguarding Endangered
Traditional Crafts in Post-Conflict
Areas of Sri Lanka (Japanese edition)(February 2016)
ISBN978-4-9906647-7-0

Published by International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI)

Documentation of ICH as a Tool
for Community-led Safeguarding
Activities

2 cho, Mozusekiun-cho, Sakai-ku,
Sakai City, Osaka 590-0802, Japan
Tel: +81-72-275-8050(March 2016)(March 2015)
ISBN 978-4-9906647-5-6

Printed in December 2016
© 2016 International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (IRCI)IRCI International Research Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region

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