Work Plan for FY 2019

1. Activity Focus and the Overview of Research Projects
The Work Plan for FY 2019 is developed under the scheme of IRCI’s Medium-term
Programme (2016-2020)(IRCI/2018/7GB/Ref.4b), which was approved at the 4th
Governing Board Meeting of IRCI (25 September 2015). Being at the fourth year of thecurrent five-year term (Figure 1), some projects are at the final stage of concluding
major activities, while some new activities are proposed to envisage the post-2020
direction of IRCI’s research.
A total of five projects are proposed for FY 2019 (Table 1): four projects under Activity
Focus I (Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding), and one ongoing project for
Activity Focus II (Research on ICH Safeguarding and Disaster-Risk Management).

Figure 1: Timeline of research projects in Medium-Term Programme 2016-2020

FY 2016
FY 2017
FY 2018
Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding
International
Experts Meeting

FY 2019

FY 2020

Mapping ProjectInternational
Conference

Literature Survey on ICH Safeguarding Research in AsiaPacific Countries
Research Data Collection on ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region and Optimisationof its Use
Sustainable research data collection for ICH
safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region
IRCI Researchers
Forum

IRCI Researchers Forum
Multi-disciplinary Study on ICH’s Contribution to
Sustainable Development - Focusing on Education

Activity Focus II. Research on ICH Safeguarding and Disaster Risk Management
Preliminary Research on ICH
Safeguarding and Disaster Risk
Management

Asia-PacificRegional Workshop

Study of Emergency Protection of ICH in Conflict Affected Countries in Asia

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Table 1: List of FY 2019 research projects
Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding‹Mapping Project 1› Research Data Collection on ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-PacificRegion and Optimisation of its Use
New
Sustainable Research Data Collection for ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacificproject
RegionNew
The Second IRCI Researchers Forum on ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacificproject
RegionMulti-disciplinary Study on ICH’s Contribution to Sustainable Development - Focusing on
Education
Activity Focus II. Research on ICH and Disaster Risk Management
Study of Emergency Protection of ICH in Conflict-Affected Countries in Asia

Activity Focus I: Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding
Specific Contents of Activities
Promote research for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, through conducting
the following activities regarding the practices and methodologies of safeguarding, incooperation with research institutions and researchers working in the Asia-Pacific region:(i) Instigate research activities and develop the researchers’ community throughinternational conferences, experts meetings, and publications;(ii) Examine and develop strategies for optimizing the use of research data, whilecollecting research information.
(Section III(1), Medium-term Programme 2016-2020)

IRCI has implemented since FY 2013 a research project based on the mapping ofresearch information pertaining to the safeguarding of ICH in the Asia-Pacific region.
This ‘Mapping Project’, aiming at instigating research for ICH safeguarding in the AsiaPacific region through analysing current trends and challenges, constitutes one of themost important research projects undertaken by IRCI. Since FY 2016, this project has
been carried out in the form of three inter-related sub-projects: international
conferences/experts meetings, systematic literature survey, and optimisation of the useof research information with the database. After six years of implementation, current
setup of the Mapping Project has to be reviewed. Consequently, in view of promoting
the development of researchers’ community for the safeguarding of ICH, IRCI proposes
two new projects to develop an alternative framework for collecting research data, andto prospect the future direction of the IRCI research as a whole, while concluding thelast sub-project of the Mapping Project, ‘‹Mapping Project 1› Research Data Collection
on ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region and Optimisation of its Use’.
Specifically, one of the new projects, ‘Sustainable Research Data Collection for ICH
Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region’ seeks an alternative methodology to collect2 / 15

information relating to research for ICH safeguarding, following the completion of thesecond sub-project of the Mapping Project, ‘Literature Survey on ICH Safeguarding
Research in the Asia-Pacific Countries’ (FY 2015-2018) and to keep IRCI’s researchdatabase updated in a sustainable manner. Another project, ‘the Second IRCI
Researchers Forum on ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region’ re-examines the roleof research and its contribution for ICH safeguarding and the 2003 Convention, by
evaluating the effects and impacts of IRCI’s research projects since its establishment in2011.
‘Multi-disciplinary Study on ICH’s Contribution to Sustainable Development ‒ Focusing
on Education’ is to be concluded in FY 2019.

Activity focus II: Research on ICH Safeguarding and Disaster Risk Management
Specific Contents of Activities
Conduct research on the current status and the cases of the safeguarding of intangible
cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific region that are endangered by disasters such as
natural hazards, as well as research on the role of ICH for disaster preparedness and in
the post-disaster recovery process, in consideration of UNESCO’s focus in the MediumTerm Strategy (37C/4) on the response to post-conflict and post-disaster situations(PCPD).
(Section III(2), Medium-term Programme 2016-2020)

This Activity Focus was devised in consideration of UNESCO’s concern on post-conflictand post-disaster (PCPD) situations, as described in its Medium-term Strategy 20142021 (37C/4). The emphasis on this issue has been further strengthened in the latest
Programme and Budget (39C/5), with a new cross-cutting ER 5 stating ‘Culture
protected and cultural pluralism promoted in emergencies through better preparedness
and response’. This Activity Focus also reflects growing national and international
interests in the heritage management in the context of disasters, in which importanceof ICH has been increasingly recognised. Against this backdrop, IRCI has undertaken
two projects during the current medium-term: one focusing on natural hazards anddisasters, and the other related to conflict. Research on ICH in disasters and conflictsituations is still an emerging field, and the importance of these projects by IRCI has
been acknowledged by various researchers and organisations in the world, including therecent discussion on ‘intangible cultural heritage in emergencies’ at the Twelfth sessionof the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage (12.COM). IRCI’s initiatives with Japan’s abundant experiences and knowledge
are expected to open a new research horizon that contributes significantly to thesafeguarding of ICH in disaster-prone/conflict-affected countries in Asia and the Pacific.

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In FY 2019, ‘Study of Emergency Protection of ICH in Conflict-Affected Countries in
Asia’ commenced in FY 2017 is continued to further investigate ICH and its
safeguarding in conflict-affected situations. Possibilities of starting the second phase of
the project on natural hazards/disasters will be considered during FY 2019, reflecting
the outcomes of ‘Asia-Pacific Regional Workshop on ICH and Natural Disasters’ (FY2018), and through the discussions as part of the Second IRCI Researchers Forum.

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2. Individual Project Outlines

Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding〈Mapping Project 1〉 Research Data Collection on ICH Safeguarding in the AsiaPacific Region and Optimisation of its Use
Period of implementation: FY2015, FY2016-FY2019
Geographic focus:

Entire Asia-Pacific Region

Background: Information on research related to ICH safeguarding in the Asia-Pacificregion is not widely shared among ICH experts, which is limiting the development of
productive discussions for enhancing ICH safeguarding in many countries in the region.
In order to improve this situation, IRCI launched in FY 2014 ‘Research Database on ICH
Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region’, as a by-product of the Mapping Project.
However, it is still at the early stage and requires further improvements.
Purpose: The overall aim of the Mapping Project is to strengthen the network of
researchers related to ICH safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific region, and to enhanceresearch for ICH safeguarding. As part of the Mapping Project, this project aims to
manage information relating to the research for ICH safeguarding and to make it widely
accessible through IRCI’s research database. While providing an increased number of
information, the project also aims to review and refine the database functions andusability in order to facilitate effective utilisation of related information.
It is expected that, by integrating and sharing relevant information from a wide rangeof related disciplines such as cultural anthropology, visual anthropology,
ethnomusicology and legal studies on cultural policies, in addition to the research on
ICH safeguarding, the IRCI research database contributes significantly to theadvancement of a wide range of research activities. The modified research database,providing such basic information in a more effective manner, should function as aknowledge base to encourage the development of productive discussions leading to theenhancement of research contributing to the safeguarding of ICH.
Progress/preparatory activities (during/before FY 2018): Since its launch in FY
2014, ‘Research Database on ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region’ hasaccumulated entries by adding information collected through the Literature Survey(‘Literature Survey on ICH Safeguarding Research in Asia-Pacific Countries’) under the
Mapping Project, while the current setup of the database has been reviewed throughrecent experts meetings of the same project. The database currently contains
approximately 2,300 entries, and new entries will be added, reflecting the output of
ongoing literature survey in FY 2018.

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At the beginning of FY 2018, reference data collected in the past years has beenreviewed and revised to ensure consistency and accuracy of information. The following
activities are also undertaken in FY 2018:
1) A feasibility study on ICH-related archival resources is conducted in Myanmar, tograsp the current condition of resources that are not widely distributed or digitized andthe needs of archivists and librarians. The result of the study is considered in theprocess of developing guidelines for the database improvement.
2) Needs assessment on database functions will be carried out by sending questionnaire
to 5-6 research institutions and ICH specialists in the Asia-Pacific region. Incorporatingsuch needs in the database will be considered in consultation with information
scientists.
A plan including technical guidelines for the improvement of functions/usability of
database will be drafted by the end of FY 2018, reflecting the above activities.
Specific activities for FY 2019: Research database is modified according to thetechnical guidelines for the database improvement that is to be developed in FY 2018.
1) Hold a review session with IT expert(s) to verify the guidelines, before restructuring
research database.
2) Modify research database to improve its function and usability.
Specific outputs:

Modified database with improved functions and usability, which isgoing to be a unique knowledge platform in the Asia-Pacific region dedicated to theresearch for ICH safeguarding.
Project partners/cooperating researchers and organisations:
Research institutions in the Asia-Pacific region and ICH specialists selected by IRCI
(reviewing and refining research database; needs assessment)
IT specialists/institutions in Japan (reviewing and refining research database)Libraries and archives in Myanmar (data collection)*See attached PDM (IRCI/2018/7GB/7/Annex 2a) for the detailed project design andbenchmarks.

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Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding

Sustainable Research Data Collection for ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-PacificRegion (New project)
Period of implementation: FY 2019-2021 (with potential extension for another 2-year
term)
Geographic focus:

Entire Asia-Pacific region (approximately 10 selected countries for

FY 2019)
Background: With regard to the Mapping Project that has been implemented since FY
2013 as one of the core projects of IRCI’s research, its Literature Survey ends in FY
2018, and ‘Research Data Collection on ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region and
Optimisation of its Use’ utilising IRCI’s research database will be completed by the endof FY 2019. However, IRCI’s research database, which is an output of the Mapping
Project, remains to be served as a platform for sharing information relating to theresearch for ICH safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific region; thus, it requires a sustainablemechanism for continuously obtaining and updating relevant information as theimplementation of the Convention and associated research progress. While theLiterature Survey that was implemented in cooperation with researchers in various
countries in the Asia-Pacific region was highly effective, it also identified in certain
countries challenges associated with limited human resources and capacities for
systematically collecting relevant information. Therefore, an alternative system or
strategy to collect information has to be sought.
Purpose: Reflecting the challenges and lessons learnt from the Literature Survey, thisproject aims to collect further information that is beneficial for the research for ICH
safeguarding, in collaboration with selected research organisations in the Asia-Pacificregion. In this process, IRCI develops practical guidelines and instruction strategies toensure effective and sustainable data collection, while seeking an ideal system in which
relevant information is continuously shared and updated through IRCI’s researchdatabase. Accordingly, the project also facilitates the exchange of research informationin the Asia-Pacific region.
For some countries and organisations, this project will also significantly enhance theirown capacity to continuously collect and update research information and resourcesthat are useful for safeguarding their ICH, and to understand the situation of ICH
safeguarding in their own countries.
Specific activities for FY 2019: For the purpose of assuring sustainability in datacollection, activities are implemented in partnership with research organisations in AsiaPacific countries including universities, national museums and others, rather thancontracting data collection to individual researcher. The following procedures are taken

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for the first three years (FY 2019-2021):
1) Select a maximum of 10 countries for the data collection in FY 2019 and identify
target organisations for each country. For the first year, it would be reasonable to begin
with selected organisations that are already in cooperation with IRCI through various
research projects.
2) Develop basic instructions and questionnaires, and provide them to the target
organisations before starting data collection, to ensure that the scope of data collectionis thoroughly understood by each organisation.
a) When developing the guidelines, IRCI should re-examine the range of information
to be included. Such information should be beneficial for understanding the state of
ICH safeguarding in a given country, and thus useful for the purpose of research.
b) For each country, the report of the past survey and the list of information that isalready stocked in IRCI’s research database are provided as a baseline for collecting
further information.
3) The progress of data collection is carefully monitored and advised by IRCI.
4) Data collected by each organisation is to be submitted to IRCI toward the end of FY
2019.
a) Collected data is added to IRCI’s research database after internal examination ofeach entry.
b) Continuation of data collection in FY 2020 is examined, in consideration of theperformance of each partner organisation.
Similar procedures will be followed in FY 2020 with a group of different countries andorganisations, while each organisation who participated in the FY 2019 activities
continues its own data collection. Performance of the project implementation isthoroughly reviewed in the third year (FY 2021) for necessary revision.
Specific outputs:

Information collected in FY 2019 will be fed into IRCI’s researchdatabase.
The result of the project implementation for the first year should inform specificproblems and challenges, which will lead to the refinement of the project design andactivities in the following years.
Project partners/cooperating researchers and organisations:
Research institutions, universities, national museums and other relevant organisationsin the Asia-Pacific region

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*See attached PDM (IRCI/2018/7GB/7/Annex 2b) for the detailed project design andbenchmarks.

Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding

The Second IRCI Researchers Forum on ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-PacificRegion (New project)
Period of implementation: FY 2019
Geographic focus:

Entire Asia-Pacific region

Background: According to the 2003 Convention, research is one of the ‘measures
aimed at ensuring the viability of ICH’ (Article 2.3), and it asks each State Party toendeavour to ‘foster scientific, technical and artistic studies, as well as researchmethodologies, with a view to effective safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage’(Article 13(c)). Since its establishment in 2011, IRCI as a category 2 centre under the
auspices of UNESCO has implemented a series of research projects in cooperation withvarious research institutions and organisations in the Asia-Pacific region. IRCI’s
objectives and functions have been to contribute to the safeguarding of ICH in terms ofresearch, as prescribed in the Agreement between the Government of Japan and
UNESCO.
Being at the fourth year of the current Medium-term Programme (2016-2020), it would
be significant for the future of IRCI to evaluate the effects and impacts of IRCI’s
research project.
Purpose: The IRCI Researchers Forum on ICH Safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific Region
was first programmed in FY 2017 for delivering professional, inter-disciplinary
discussions concerning theories and methodologies for ICH safeguarding, and it hascontributed to strengthen each participating institution’s research capacity. Envisioning
the post-2020 development of IRCI’s research activities, the Second IRCI Researchers
Forum aims to discuss the role of research for ICH safeguarding and its concrete
contributions to the implementation of the 2003 Convention with a focus on several
specific themes, while examining the effect and impact of IRCI’s research projects to
date.
The forum provides an opportunity for major research institutions in the Asia-Pacificregion to discuss issues and ideas concerning the research for ICH safeguarding in a
productive way, which will ultimately lead to the enhancement of research as well as
the development of practical research programmes contributing to the safeguarding of
ICH.

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Specific activities for FY 2019: IRCI organises the Second IRCI Researchers Forum,
which focuses on the evaluation and re-examination of a) the effects and impacts of
IRCI’s research projects since its establishment in 2011, and b) the role of research andspecific contributions for ICH safeguarding.
1) The forum is held in Japan for two to three days, inviting participants fromapproximately 15 organisations in the Asia-Pacific region.
a) Participants are comprised of the representatives (director-level) of project
partners and cooperating organisations of the major IRCI projects in the past. Inviting
IRCI’s Advisory Body members and ICH experts are also considered.
b) Cooperation of various research institutions within and outside Japan are soughtfor organising the forum and developing sessions.
2) As an extension of the discussion concerning the assessment of IRCI’s research
projects, the future of IRCI’s research is envisioned. This includes the followings:a) the visions for the development of IRCI as a hub of research for ICH safeguarding
in the Asia-Pacific region, which should arise from the summary and final evaluationof the Mapping Project; andb) proposals of potential directions and themes for the post-2020 research projects,
for instance:i) integrated approach for safeguarding tangible and intangible cultural heritage;ii) further research on ICH in emergencies (post-conflict and post-disastersituations); andiii) innovative themes on ICH safeguarding contributing to SDGs.
3) Suggestions for the future directions of IRCI are proposed and summarised. They
will be referenced by IRCI for developing its new Long- and Medium-Term Programmes
and project plans from FY 2021 onward.
4) Proceedings of the forum are published, which should include suggestions for IRCI. A
possibility of separate publication, in the following years, of the selected papers focusing
on the role of research may be considered.
Specific outputs:

Proceedings including recommendations for IRCI

Project partners/cooperating researchers and organisations: Various research
institutions in Japan and Asia-Pacific region that have cooperative relationship with IRCI
*See attached PDM (IRCI/2018/7GB/7/Annex 2c) for the detailed project design andbenchmarks.

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Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding

Multi-disciplinary Study on ICH’s Contribution to Sustainable Development –Focusing on Education
Period of implementation: FY 2018-2019
Geographic focus:

Philippines and Viet Nam

Background: Since FY 2013, IRCI has carried out the Mapping Project in order todevelop a cooperative research network and to promote research for ICH safeguarding.
Among the important safeguarding issues identified in this project, the contribution of
ICH to sustainable development was highlighted as important consideration.
UNESCO emphasises the contribution of culture to the sustainable development. In the
Major Programme IV of the draft 39C/5, UNESCO outlines the contribution of culture to
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where potential contribution of ICH is
expected in SDGs 2, 4, 5, 11, and 17. At the twelfth session of the Intergovernmental
Committee, a decision was made to dedicate its second funding priority to thesafeguarding of ICH in formal and non-formal education, testifying a growing need for
its contribution to SDG 4 (education). IRCI’s project is in line with this development.
Purpose: Education plays a pivotal role in sustainable development, and it is also oneof the important safeguarding measures stipulated in Article 2 of the 2003 Convention.
This project aims at developing research on incorporating ICH into teaching andlearning practices in formal and non-formal education, whereby contributing from theICH perspective to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the 2030 Agenda.
Through the implementation of the project, IRCI also attempts to strengthen a multidisciplinary research network for ICH safeguarding that consists of various research
institutions. It is also expected that research capacity of academic institutions in the
Asia-Pacific region is reinforced, and the quality education is promoted in the region.
Progress/preparatory activities (during/before FY 2018): Prior to the project’s
official launch in April 2018, IRCI conducted a feasibility study in the Philippines andViet Nam (Feb. 2018). This study identified that, while projects linking ICH andsustainable development are still relatively scarce, the importance of such an attempt
has increasingly been recognized in these countries. Based on more recent discussions
held in Ha Noi and Tokyo (May 2018), IRCI has been preparing the following activities
during FY 2018:
1) Develop guidelines to create educational materials that include a large body of ICH
elements. For the Philippines, a special attention will be paid to non-formal educational
institutions where masters teach knowledge and skills to the children. For Viet Nam,such guidelines are especially important because the country has been developing a

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new educational curriculum for next decades.
2) An international conference will be held towards the end of Jan. 2019, attended bycooperating researchers in the above countries. It is expected to provide an opportunity
to deepen discussions on ICH’s contribution to SDG 4.
Specific activities for FY 2019: 1) Review the lessons learned during FY 2018 anddiscuss a way to integrate the recommendations/guidelines into a prototype of
educational materials, in cooperation with experts from the Philippines and Viet Nam.
2) Create, in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts,
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and Vietnam Institute of Educational Sciences,educational materials as discussed above, and introduce it to formal and non-formal
learning settings, to examine as a case study the contribution of ICH in education.
Specific outputs:

Educational materials that emphasise upon ICH and further

strengthen the safeguarding and transmission of ICH present in the region will be
developed in collaboration with project partners. This may take the form of a project
report that contains related recommendations.
Project partners/cooperating researchers and organisations:
Project partner: Vietnam Museum of Ethnology; Vietnam Institute of Educational
Sciences; National Commission for Culture and the Arts (Philippines)
Cooperating organisation: UNESCO Ha Noi Office; UNESCO Bangkok Office; Nara
University of Education*See attached PDM (IRCI/2018/7GB/7/Annex 2d) for the detailed project design andbenchmarks.

Activity Focus II. Research on ICH Safeguarding and Disaster Risk Management

Study of Emergency Protection of ICH in Conflict-Affected Countries in Asia
Period of implementation: FY 2017-2020
Geographic focus: Afghanistan, Sri Lanka (Northern and Eastern Provinces1), andTimor-Leste
Background: Armed conflicts have negative impacts on local people, including thebearers and practitioners of ICH. Under such circumstances, ICH that has beentransmitted by people from generation to generation could disappear or face the dangerof extinction in the immediate term, due to various factors such as the loss of life and1

Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka were severely affected by the civil war (1983-2009).

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forced displacement. While the role played by ICH in recovering the community’ssolidarity in emergencies has received a greater attention, the detailed situation of ICH
remains to be investigated. UNESCO C/4 and C/5 documents has been emphasising theimportance of dealing with ICH in post-conflict situations; the twelfth session of theIntergovernmental Committee (12.COM 15) discussed ICH in emergencies, and thelatest 39C/5 added cross-cutting ER 5 to address this issue.
IRCI has previously implemented a research project in Northern and Eastern Provincesof Sri Lanka. Building on this experience, IRCI launched this project in FY 2017 as a
new initiative to develop suitable safeguarding measures for ICH in conflict-affected
countries through case studies.
Therefore, this project aims to assess the situation of ICH that has been affected byconflict, by conducting case studies in selected regions of conflict-affected countries in
Asia. In consideration of potential difficulties in implementing research, priority is given
to the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka, while the implementation ofresearch is considered carefully for other conflict-affected countries such as Timor-Lesteand Afghanistan.
Purpose: This project aims to examine, as case studies, ICH under conflict-affected
situations and specify risk factors that threaten the viability of ICH. Through the casestudies in the selected areas of the above three countries, it seeks to identify suitable
methodologies for identifying and safeguarding community’s ICH in conflict-affected
situations. The project is expected to contribute to enhance research on safeguarding
and revitalisation measures of ICH in conflict-affected situations.
Progress/preparatory activities (during/before FY 2018): The preliminary survey in
FY 2017 clarified that post-conflict situations are considerably different in the above
three countries, and that the research plan should be arranged separately to betterreflecting the country-specific conditions. Therefore, preliminary workshops were held
separately in Tokyo to find out the country’s situation in detail and to develop researchplan for Afghanistan, Sri Lanka (both in March 2018), and Timor-Leste (April 2018).
IRCI also established partnership to implement the project (see project partners section
below).
Preliminary research based on questionnaires is undertaken in FY 2018 in selectedareas of Afghanistan and Timor-Leste by project partners to identify and enlist
remaining ICH elements, particularly those facing the threat of disappearing, according
to the research plan developed in the above workshops. The field research in Sri Lanka
is conducted in Northern and Eastern Provinces in accordance with the guidelines
developed by IRCI and National Crafts Council of Sri Lanka.
Workshops are planned for each country towards the end of FY 2018, to monitor the

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progress, analyse collected data, and discuss the detailed research plan for FY 2019.
Specific activities for FY 2019: 1) Research will be continued in cooperation withproject partners to identify remaining ICH elements and related communities, and todevelop possible safeguarding measures focusing on certain ICH elements. It shouldreflect the updated research plan developed in FY 2018. In this process:a) Promote the participation of further local universities and museums to strengthen
and establish the research network in the countries.
b) Challenges and methodologies are summarized to be reflected into the future
survey.
c) In the event that activities to be implemented in FY 2018 is interrupted due to
unexpected situations, they are continued in FY 2019 to follow the programmed
steps.
2) Consultative meetings will be held for each country to examine the results of fieldresearch in FY 2019, in order to develop possible research orientation for safeguarding
and to discuss the research plan for FY 2020.
Specific outputs:

By the end of FY 2019, 1) important safeguarding issues are

identified and discussed for developing measures for the safeguarding and revitalisationof ICH for each country; and 2) methodologies for collecting data in conflict-affected
situations are elaborated.
Recommendations for possible safeguarding measures and the proposals forcooperative future research activities are developed as the final output.
Project partners/cooperating researchers and organisations:
Project partner: Ministry of Culture and Education of Timor-Leste; Ministry of Culture
and Information of Afghanistan; National Crafts Council of Sri Lanka
Cooperating organisation: Balkh University (Afghanistan); Bamiyan University(Afghanistan); University of Colombo (Sri Lanka);
Craft Revival Trust (India) (as resource person); UNESCO Offices, including Kabul Office*See attached PDM (IRCI/2018/7GB/7/Annex 2e) for the detailed project design andbenchmarks.

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3. Cooperation with Sakai City

In accordance with its Medium-term Programme (2016-2020), and within theframework of its mandate as specified in the Agreement between UNESCO and theGovernment of Japan, IRCI has been contributing to the projects carried out by Sakai
City for promoting ICH to the general public.
In FY 2019, IRCI will contribute to ‘The Tokyo Symposium 2019 on Cultural Heritage,’organised by Sakai City in possible partnership with National Institutes for Cultural
Heritage, Japan (NICH). This activity is planned and organised by Sakai City with its
own budget, and the detailed plan is yet to be developed. Taking this opportunity, IRCI
provides for this symposium an updated panel display introducing its activities for ICH
safeguarding, along with distributing its brochures and reports. This activity will not
only raise the public awareness concerning the importance of ICH but also promote thevisibility of IRCI to the large public in Tokyo.

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