Work Plan for FY 2024
1. Activity Focus and the Overview of Research Projects
The Work Plan for FY 2024 is developed under the scheme of IRCIʼs new Medium-Term
Programme (FY 2022–2026), which was approved at the 10th meeting of theGoverning Board of IRCI (17 November 2021).
A total of four projects are proposed for FY 2024: two projects under Activity Focus I(Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding), and two projects for Activity Focus II(Research on the Safeguarding of ICH for Building Sustainable and Resilient Societies)(Figure 1, Table 1). Two out of four projects will see their final stage in FY 2024, while
a new project will be developed, which will succeed the achievement of the research
project on intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and disaster risk management finished in
FY 2023.
Figure 1: Timeline of research projects in Medium-Term Programme 2022–2026

FY 2022

FY 2023

FY 2024

FY 2025

Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding

FY 2026

Sustainable Research Data Collection for ICH Safeguarding:
Focusing on Central Asia and Small Island Developing States

Asia-Pacific Research Forum for ICH Safeguarding(Former title: Creation of the Asia-Pacific Regional Hub of Research for the Safeguarding of ICH)

Activity Focus II. Research on the Safeguarding of ICH for Building Sustainable andResilient Societies
Research on ICH Contributing to SDGs: Intangible Cultural
Heritage for Sustainable Cities and Communities

Research on ICH Safeguarding andDisaster Risk Management (FY 2020-2023)(New Project) Research on Intangible Cultural Heritage
and Climate Change in the Asia-Pacific Region

Research on ICH Affected by the COVID-19
Pandemic

1 / 15

Table 1. List of research projects in FY 2024
Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding
Sustainable Research Data Collection for ICH Safeguarding: Focusing on Central Asia andSmall Island Developing States
Asia-Pacific Research Forum for ICH Safeguarding (Former title: Creation of the AsiaPacific Regional Hub of Research for the Safeguarding of ICH)
Activity Focus II. Research on the Safeguarding of ICH for Building Sustainable andResilient Societies
Research on ICH Contributing to SDGs: Intangible Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Cities
and Communities
New
Project

Research on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Climate Change in the Asia-PacificRegionActivity Focus I: Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding
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 actively working in the field of
intangible cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific region:(i) Instigate research activities through regional/international conferences,
workshops, seminars, and publications, while strengthening IRCIʼs function as a
hub of research for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in the AsiaPacific region by forming a consortium of research institutes in the Asia-Pacificregion(ii) Collect research information in the Asia-Pacific region, paying special attention
to developing counties and small island developing states (SIDS) and aiming at
enhancing their research capacity, while examining and developing strategies
for optimizing the use and sharing of research data(iii) In implementing activities mentioned above, special attention is paid to thefollowing:(a) foster young ICH researchers in the Asia-Pacific region, and(b) actively promote IRCIʼs activities through various media including social
networking systems, in collaboration with academic societies and otherstakeholders(Section III (1), Medium-Term Programme (FY 2022–2026))

Activity Focus I aims to further promote the research for safeguarding ICH in the AsiaPacific region.
In the ʻSustainable Research Data Collection for ICH Safeguarding: Focusing on Central
Asia and Small Island Developing States (FY 2022–2024)ʼ project, major data collection
activities have been carried out since FY 2023 by four cooperating research institutions
2 / 15(counterparts) in Central Asia and seven in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). To
conclude the project, workshops are programmed in both sub-regions to reflect on theoutcomes of data collection activities and discuss the situation of ICH research andassociated challenges in each country and sub-region.
The ʻAsia-Pacific Research Forum for ICH Safeguarding (FY 2022–2026)ʼ project, whichis the project title renamed from the former ʻCreation of the Asia-Pacific Regional Hubof Research for the Safeguarding of ICHʼ, will reach a turning year of the five-year
project term. Along with an ongoing online seminar series, an international conference
and a workshop targeting young researchers are planned to be held in person toaddress various discussion topics deeply, inviting both young and experienced
researchers to the same stage.

Activity Focus II: Research on the Safeguarding of ICH for Building Sustainable
and Resilient Societies
Conduct research for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacificregion that is in line with and contributing to ongoing international frameworks, including
the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
Reduction 2015-2030, and Paris Agreement on Climate Change, which are outlined in
UNESCOʼs Medium-Term Strategy (41C/4) and Programme and Budget (41C/5).
(Section III(2), Medium-Term Programme (FY 2022-2026))

Under Activity Focus II, various research projects investigating specific cases of ICH
contributing to sustainable and resilient societies have been implemented.
The ʻResearch on ICH Contributing to SDGs: Intangible Cultural Heritage for
Sustainable Cities and Communities (FY 2022–2024)ʼ project explores the contributionof ICH to target 11.4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the final year of
the project, a concluding symposium participated by project partners will be organized
to extensively discuss the roles of ICH in the sustainable management of heritage
landscapes and in terms of integrated safeguarding of tangible and intangible heritage.
The ʻResearch on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Climate Change in the Asia-PacificRegion (FY 2024–2026)ʼ project is newly proposed based on, and to further develop,
the knowledge gained in the past research projects on ICH Safeguarding and Disaster
Risk Management (FY 2016–2018, 2020–2023). Preliminary research and case studies
will be conducted in selected communities in the Asia-Pacific region, which will lead tothe development of methodologies for enhancing the communityʼs capabilities insafeguarding and transmitting ICH confronting the increasing challenges of climatechange.
3 / 15

2. Individual Project Outlines
Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding

Sustainable Research Data Collection for ICH Safeguarding: Focusing on Central
Asia and Small Island Developing States
Period of implementation: FY 2022–2024
Geographic focus: Central Asia; Small Island Developing States (SIDS) within the
Asia-Pacific region
Background:
Since 2013, IRCI has been collecting research data on ICH in various countries of the
Asia-Pacific region to map the current situation of research in this field, thereby
contributing to the enhancement of research for ICH safeguarding. As of today, the
IRCI Research Database covers 48 countries; however, the amount and quality of thecollected information remain uneven throughout the region, and particularly the
information from Central Asia and the Pacific Islands is still limited. There are someisland nations, such as Timor-Leste and Maldives, from which research information has
not been collected. In addition, research information concerning ICH and its
safeguarding is not effectively shared at regional and international levels, even thoughsharing research information plays a crucial role in ICH safeguarding.
Purpose:The project aims to:1) compile existing information related to research for safeguarding ICH and makecollected information available through the IRCI Research Database, thereby
facilitating access to the most current trends and situation of ICH safeguarding ineach country;
2) enhance capacities of research institutions in the Asia-Pacific region to accumulate
and analyze research information relating to ICH safeguarding, to identify areas
requiring further input and development for safeguarding ICH in respective
countries; and
3) encourage information sharing related to ICH and its safeguarding among research
institutions in each country and also within sub-regions and the entire Asia-Pacificregion, leading to the development of further research programmes and active
discussions on ICH safeguarding.
Progress:
Guidelines for collecting research information for Central Asia were developed in FY
2022. Following the guidelines, the counterparts in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan,
4 / 15

and Uzbekistan commenced data collection activities on a pilot basis in FY 2022 andare conducting data collection on a full scale in FY 2023.
Regarding SIDS, counterpart institutions were identified in Fiji, Palau, Papua New
Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu in FY 2022. By inviting them and the resource
persons from the Pacific Community and UNESCO Office for the Pacific States, aworkshop was held to discuss guidelines that were tailored to situations in SIDS. The
counterparts commenced data collection activities in FY 2023. Institutions in Kiribati
and Maldives joined the project in FY 2023, responding to the second call from IRCI.
Specific activities for FY 2024:
1) For Central Asia, the following activities are planned:a)Full-scale research data collection is continued by applying the data collection
methodology developed in FY 2022 for Central Asia, in cooperation withmultiple research institutions in each country.

b) In the process of collecting research information, a domestic workshop isorganized by the counterpart if necessary, inviting its collaborators and ICH
researchers in their country to strengthen the data collection network.
c)

The final workshop is organized in a Central Asian city (specific location to be
decided) to report the result of data collection activities during the three yearsof the entire project and discuss the situation of ICH research and associatedchallenges in each country and in Central Asia as a whole.

2) For SIDS, the following activities are planned:a)Each counterpart institution continues data collection activities, following thedata collection scheme developed in FY 2022 for SIDS.

b)

The final workshop for SIDS is organized to report the result of data collection
activities during the three years and discuss the situation of ICH research andassociated challenges in each country and in small island nations as a whole.

3) A Project report is edited and published.
Specific outputs:
1)

Research information collected in Central Asia and SIDS in FY 2024 will be uploaded
to the IRCI Research Database and become accessible to the public by the end of
March 2025.

2)

A project report compiling the results of data collection will be published online by
the end of March 2025.

5 / 15

Project partners, cooperating researchers, and organizations:- Partners in Central Asia: Kazakhstan ICH National Committee; Council for Cultural
Heritage Networking and Communication in Mongolia; ICH Center, ResearchInstitution of Culture and Information in Tajikistan; and the ʻUmrboqiy Merosʼ
Center for Promotion of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan- Partners in SIDS: Department of Culture, Heritage and Arts, Ministry of Education,
Heritage and Arts in Fiji; Belau National Museum, Palau; Papua New Guinea
National Cultural Commission; Timor-Leste National Commission for UNESCO;
Vanuatu Cultural Centre; Culture and Museum Division, Ministry of Internal Affairsin Kiribati; and National Center for Cultural Heritage, Maldives Ministry of Arts,
Culture and Heritage- Regional organizations: International Institute for Central Asian Studies (IICAS),
Pacific Community (SPC), etc.
- UNESCO offices (in Almaty, Apia, Tehran, and Tashkent)*See attached PDM (IRCI/2023/12GB/9/Annex 2a) for the detailed project design andtargets.

Activity Focus I. Promoting Research for ICH Safeguarding

Asia-Pacific Research Forum for ICH Safeguarding(Former title: Creation of the Asia-Pacific Regional Hub of Research for the
Safeguarding of ICH)
*To better reflect the content of the project, renaming of the project title is proposed.
Period of implementation: FY 2022–2026*The project implementation should be reviewed and revised towards the end of FY
2024.
Geographic focus: Entire Asia-Pacific region
Background:Research is considered one of the measures for safeguarding ICH; however,opportunities to share/learn about the research for safeguarding ICH in the Asia-Pacificregion are still limited. IRCIʼs mission is to instigate and coordinate research into
practices and methodologies of safeguarding endangered intangible cultural heritage
elements present in the Asia-Pacific Region, and thus strengthening its capacity andfunction as a ʻresearch centreʼ is crucial for promoting research activities.

6 / 15IRCI has carried out more than 10 years in the past various research activities incooperation with researchers and various research institutions within the Asia-Pacificregion, including universities, museums, government sections, and NGOs, whileorganizing a series of expert meetings, researcher forums, and conferences aiming at
promoting research for safeguarding ICH. In this project, such efforts are strengthened
by developing a new common framework for active interaction among researchers andresearch institutions in the Asia-Pacific region.
Purpose:This project aims to enhance the research for safeguarding ICH and strengthen ICH
researchersʼ network, by creating and managing the Asia-Pacific Research Forum for
ICH Safeguarding and by offering through the forum various activities focusing on ICH
and its safeguarding such as seminars, research forums, symposia, and international
conferences that are principally open to any interested individuals. Making use of an
online webinar format, forum programmes are expected to invite a wide range ofparticipants, including researchers, government officials, museum staff, and ICH
practitioners within the Asia-Pacific region. Programmes specifically targeting young
researchers in the region are also considered to encourage their active contribution to
ICH safeguarding.
Progress:
As the first step of the project, IRCI established the Asia-Pacific Research Forum for
ICH Safeguarding in FY 2022. A planning committee consisting of experts from
Australia, Fiji, India, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia was set up to develop various
programmes as part of the forum.
With an online platform employing the Facebook group, an online seminar series wasinaugurated in December 2022. A total of three seminars were held in FY 2022, andfor FY 2023, three seminars have been programmed, two of them as the special
seminar dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the 2003 Convention.
A programme targeting young researchers, originally scheduled in FY 2023 as an
online session, has been postponed to FY 2024 and will be held as a face-to-faceworkshop for better benefitting young researchers.
Specific activities for FY 2024:
1)

Online seminars on ICH are continued. At least two seminars are held, whichmight be organized by coordinating activities with a new project of Research on
Intangible Cultural Heritage and Climate Change in the Asia-Pacific Region.

7 / 15

2)

An international conference is organized, to be held in Japan for 2-3 consecutive
days. The conference aims to put together and discuss the latest trends in ICH
research in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
a)This should be organized as an academic and interdisciplinary conference
inviting leading experts working in the field of ICH from various standpoints tohave in-depth discussions. Specific contents and themes are discussed by theplanning committee reflecting regional needs and interests.

b) Open calls for session topics or presentations may be sought to expand the
network of ICH researchers. Also, an online live-streaming option may beconsidered to accommodate researchers who may not be able to join theconference in person.
3)

A workshop targeting young researchers is held to encourage their active
engagement in the research for safeguarding ICH.
a)

A face-to-face workshop consisting of presentation, discussion, and paper
writing sessions is under consideration to help them develop professional skills.
Liaising this workshop with the international conference will be explored, as
this will be a great opportunity for young researchers to interact with leading
ICH researchers and scholars.

b) Expected participants are not limited to literal ʻyoungʼ but include graduate
students, early-career scholars, and individuals engaged in ICH research.
Considering the practicality of the workshop and the availability of human andfinancial resources, five to six participants are selected from applicants who
have submitted research topics and presentation abstracts, taking into accountgeographical balance.
4)

Planning Committee meetings are held three times, which discuss the following:a)Planning and organization of an international conference and young
researchers' workshopb) Online seminar topics to be continued in FY 2025
c)

Review of the performance of the project activities in the first three years

Specific outputs:

1)

Audio-visual recordings of seminars to be published on IRCIʼs YouTube channel.

2)

Publication based on the international conference (to be published in the years that
follow).

3)

A workshop report with the collection of final papers by young researchers.

8 / 15

Project partners, cooperating researchers, and organizations:
Planning committee members (experts from six Asia-Pacific countries)*See attached PDM (IRCI/2023/12GB/9/Annex 2b) for the detailed project design andtargets.

Activity Focus II. Research on the Safeguarding of ICH for Building Sustainable andResilient Societies

Research on ICH Contributing to SDGs: Intangible Cultural Heritage for
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Period of implementation: FY 2022–2024
Geographic focus: Entire Asia-Pacific region
Background:
While the importance of cultural heritage for sustainable cities and communities has
been emphasized in SDG target 11.4, by and large it refers to the tangible aspects ofheritage, and how ICH contributes to this process has not been investigated in detail.
Since ʻYamato Declaration on Integrated Approaches for Safeguarding Tangible andIntangible Cultural Heritageʼ was adopted in 2004, the importance of the integrated
approaches for safeguarding tangible and intangible cultural heritage has beenrecognized. For more than a decade, however, there has not been much progress indeepening our understanding of this topic. Sustainable cities and communities in thecontext of SDGs would provide an ideal ground to enhance the discussion on the
integrated approaches for safeguarding tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Purpose:The project investigates the role of intangible cultural heritage for sustainable cities
and communities, particularly focusing on the cases of the management of
cultural/historical landscapes, and demonstrates how ICH could contribute to theachievement of SDG target 11.4. Assuming that local communities having historicalarchitecture, cultural landscapes, and World Heritage sites are more aware of the
management of their heritage, the project explores various ʻintangibleʼ aspects thatshape their heritage. The project is expected to provide some insights for elaborating
the integrated approaches for safeguarding tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
Progress:
IRCI has concluded an agreement with APSARA National Authority (ANA) in Cambodia
and George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) in Malaysia on research
activities for FY 2023 and started the full-scale case study in cooperation with ANA and9 / 15

GTWHI. For monitoring the case study in Malaysia, IRCI visited George Town in July
2023 and had a chance to directly hear voices from community members about their
ICH practices and current situation and challenges in safeguarding their cultural
heritage. As to the case study in Cambodia, a community-based workshop is planned,
and the content of the event is under consideration.
However, IRCI needed to reconsider the implementation of the project in Fiji with the
iTaukei Institute of Languages and Culture (TILC) due to the difficulty in establishingreliable communication. To add an alternative case study from the Pacific, IRCI
requested an NGO specializing in Pacific heritage to start a case study in the MarshallIslands.
Specific activities for FY 2024:
1) The final symposium is organized in the first half of the fiscal year to discuss theroles of ICH in sustainably managing heritage landscapes, including the issues ofintegrated safeguarding of tangible and intangible heritage. Project partners are
expected to present the result of the case study conducted in FY 2023. Additional
speakers are invited from several countries in the Asia-Pacific region to share theircases and practices in which intangible cultural heritage is utilized and highlighted
for sustainable heritage management.
2) Supplementary field research may be conducted by project partners, depending on
the availability of funding.
3) Project partners are expected to write a comprehensive research paper based on
the case study, which will be included in the final report to be published by the endof March 2025.
Specific outputs:
A project report, including a collection of case studies and the results of theinternational symposium.
Project partners, cooperating researchers, and organizations:- APSARA National Authority- George Town World Heritage Incorporated- Pasifika Renaissance (2023–)*See attached PDM (IRCI/2023/12GB/9/Annex 2c) for the detailed project design andtargets.

10 / 15

Activity Focus II. Research on the Safeguarding of ICH for Building Sustainable andResilient Societies

Research on Intangible Cultural Heritage and Climate Change in the Asia-PacificRegion (New project)
Period of implementation: FY 2024–2026
Geographic focus: Asia-Pacific region (with special attention to coastal and small island
communities)
Background:
Climate change has been an issue of utmost importance affecting humanity today.
Most often, it is recognized as extreme hazards that are more frequently causing
disasters. Disturbance of the ecosystem associated with pronounced climatic anomalies
threatens the transmission of many ICH elements that are deeply rooted in the local
environment, such as a wide range of subsistence practices (agriculture, fishing,hunting, etc.), knowledge and practices for sustainable resource management, craft
productions relying on localized materials, and even rituals and festive events
associated with the nature. Furthermore, the impact of sea level rise is more
prominent in small island nations and low-lying coastal communities, which in the longterm may force some communities to abandon culturally important places andassociated practices.
There are growing interests and efforts at the international and national levels to
address emergencies associated with climate change. However, specific impacts ofclimate change are experienced locally, and the response and adaptation to thisemergency have to be made with the communityʼs initiatives. In this respect, it iscritical to enhance the communityʼs capacity to cope with the ongoing climate change.
Knowledge and efforts have been accumulated around ICH and disaster risk reduction
in recent years, and the active roles of ICH are highlighted. However, traditional
knowledge and practices that have been useful for disaster risk reduction have to bereviewed whether they remain effective under the changing climate conditions.
Purpose:This project addresses the importance of ICH in climate actions. By conducting casestudies targeting selected communities in the Asia-Pacific region that are vulnerable tothe impact of climate change, it aims to develop community-based methodologies andaction plans to safeguard ICH while adapting to the changing environment andecosystems. Through these case studies and other relevant case studies for reference,
it would also be possible to come up with some general guidelines/tools forcommunity-based safeguarding of ICH and adaptation to climate change.

11 / 15

Knowledge and insights gained through the IRCI project ʻResearch on ICH
Safeguarding and Disaster Risk Managementʼ (2016–2018, 2020–2023) would be
useful for starting up this project. Building on this existing foundation, the projectfurther incorporates the notion of adaptation to better understand and address thechanging nature of ICH practices in the face of rapid environmental alteration due toclimate change.
In the course of the project, opportunities of exchange sessions such as seminars,
expert meetings, and symposia are sought to enhance the impact of the project andsynergies with related initiatives concerning ICH and climate change and dialogues
among ICH–Climate Change–Disaster Risk Reduction.
Preparatory activities:
IRCI has implemented the project, ʻResearch on ICH Safeguarding and Disaster Risk
Managementʼ (FY 2016–2018, FY 2020–2023), and has accumulated knowledge andexpertise concerning ICH and disaster risk reduction. This will provide a baseline forapproaching issues related to climate change.
IRCI has been in communication with UNESCO and its experts concerning its ongoingprocess to highlight ICH and climate actions for possible synergies and enhancing the
projectʼs contribution to UNESCO activities.
Specific activities for FY 2024:
The project will be implemented for three years from FY 2024 to 2026, and the firstyear will be a preliminary phase to set up cooperative partnerships and explore thepotential of the project activities.
1)

Preliminary research is undertaken by IRCI in cooperation with potential
collaborators to understand the impact of climate change on ICH, including theidentification of ICH elements (knowledge and practices) that are closely linked tothe environment and climate.
a)Potential collaborators, partners, and resources are explored through an
examination of existing case studies, including the materials produced by the
UNESCO Living Heritage Entity and Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems(LiNKS) programme.

b) Online hearings are carried out with potential collaborators and partners tounderstand the current situation of ICH in relation to climate change. Some of

12 / 15

the hearing opportunities from the experts could be organized as ʻonline
seminarsʼ that are open to any interested individuals. 1
2)

Specific cases that are targeted for further field research (case studies) in thefollowing years are selected (three to four cases).
a)

Small island and coastal communities as well as remote and marginalized
communities are prioritized as the scope of the case study under the project.

b) The case study to be conducted in the following years aims to enhance thecapacity of the community to adapt to climate change while safeguarding their
ICH in the context of changing environmental settings. Possible activities
include but are not limited to the community-based identification of knowledge
and practices related to the environment, assessment of risks for ICH that areassociated with climate change, and so on.
c)

Depending on the availability of the budget, IRCI may visit a few target
countries to discuss and prepare for the field research in the next fiscal year.

3)

An inception workshop/symposium is organized to explore the potential of the
project, through sharing information concerning ICH in the context of climate change.
a)Some climate change specialists are invited to create an opportunity for
dialogue with ICH researchers and specialists.

b) The format of the event will depend on the availability of the project budget,
but a hybrid format combining online and on-site participation is consideredfeasible.
Based on the outcomes of the activities in the first fiscal year, full-scale field research
will be implemented in the following years.
Specific outputs:
1) A project report compiling several case studies on community-based approaches for
safeguarding ICH in the context of climate change.
2) Guidelines for safeguarding ICH in climate emergencies or some tools that could be
utilized for community-based efforts for safeguarding ICH

1This could be arranged in conjunction with ongoing IRCI project, ʻAsia-Pacific Research Forum for

ICH Safeguardingʼ.

13 / 15

Project partners, cooperating researchers, and organizations:-

Researchers and research organizations in the Asia-Pacific region-

Experts familiar with ICH, climate change issues, and disaster risk management in
the Asia-Pacific region, including UNESCO*See attached PDM (IRCI/2023/12GB/9/Annex 2d) for the detailed project design andtargets.

14 / 15

3. Cooperation with Sakai City
In accordance with the Medium-Term Programme (FY 2022–2026), 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 2024, IRCI plans to collaborate with Sakai City on the following activities:
1) Seminar for Understanding Intangible Cultural Heritage programmed by Sakai CityIRCI has collaborated on this event yearly since 2021, coordinating one seminar by
assigning a lecturer. In FY 2024, too, IRCI will arrange a lecturer to speak on ICH
topics.
2) Panel exhibition featuring IRCIʼs activities
The content of the exhibition is updated annually with a specific focus.
3) Distribution of IRCI brochures and other promotional materials
Sakai City Museum cooperates on distributing IRCI brochures and other materials
promoting ICH to its visitors.
Through these activities, IRCI aims to raise awareness among the general public of theimportance of ICH, while enhancing the visibility of IRCI itself.

15 / 15