Since 2010, International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (ICHCAP) has been holding the sub-regional meetings in Central Asia for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in cooperate with the UNESCO field office, UNESCO National Commissions and other ICH-related organizations based on the main functions of ICHCAP; information and networking. In 2019, three strategic tasks and nine activities were proposed to implement for the upcoming three years (2020-2022) from the ninth sub-regional meeting as followed.

• Strategic Task 1. Development of additional resource material in formal and non-formal education through an integrated approach between ICH and education
  • Activity 1. Holding expert meetings collaboration among ICH experts and educator
  • Activity 2. Conducting pilot survey and in-depth study on secondary education
  • Activity 3. Developing and disseminating additional resource material on ICH through formal and non-formal education

• Strategic Task 2. Establishment of an online platform for efficient management and enhanced accessibility of ICH information in Central Asia
  • Activity 1. Designating information center specialized in managing and disseminating ICH information in each country
  • Activity 2. Holding expert meetings to analyze the status and strengthen the capacity of ICH information in each country
  • Activity 3. Establishing online mechanism through participation in ICH information network in the Asia-Pacific

• Strategic Task 3. Information-sharing and Network-building regarding ICH festive events along the Silk Road to raise community awareness
  • Activity 1. Sharing information on representative festive events by creating map of festivals on the Silk Road
  • Activity 2. Exchanging personnel in representative festive events through various meetings and dispatch of troupe
  • Activity 3. Building festival network on the Silk Road for raising visibility of ICH and intercultural dialogue

Moreover, ICHCAP kicked off the regional project on strengthening the Use of ICH in Education in Central Asia last year based on the project and experiences of the UNESCO Bangkok Office in cooperating with the UNESCO Almaty Office as the action of the implementation for the guideline from the last sub-regional meeting.

In this year, ICHCAP would like to hold the tenth sub-regional network meeting to discuss closely examine whether the project is being implemented well and discuss the development of new projects related to the strategic tasks for the next stage.

• Goal
  • To foster international collaboration and build a regional network of experts reflecting on the generative link between ICH safeguarding and formal and non-formal education in pursuit of the 2030 SDGs in Central Asia

• Objectives
  • Strengthening collaboration and networking between education and culture sectors in Central Asia to implement SDGs
  • Awareness raising on safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in formal and non-formal settings
  • To better understand the current status of integration and inclusion of ICH into education and to examine the current on-going project for ICH and education
  • To discuss how ICH in education, including both formal and non-formal education, can contribute to achieving SDGs, Overall Results Framework for 2003 Convention, and national capacity building in terms of safeguarding ICH
  • To promote and to build a sustainable network for regional and international cooperation among various stakeholders in the field of ICH and education