Training on Safeguarding Plans and Policy Support of Intangible Cultural Heritage started in Shenzhen

The opening ceremony was held on Jan 19, 2015 [Photo/ provided by the International Training Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO]

A workshop on safeguarding plans and policy support for intangible cultural heritage for facilitators was held in Guangdong province’s Shenzhen beginning on Jan 19, 2015. Its aim was to train specialists on intangible cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific region and foster the capacity for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in the region and the world as a whole, under the global strategy of capacity building.

Titled “Training of Trainers Workshop on Safeguarding Plans and Policy Support for Intangible Cultural Heritage for Facilitators from the Asia-Pacific Region”, the training was held by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and organized by the International Training Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO.

Officials from UNESCO agencies in the Asia-Pacific region, specialists on intangible cultural heritage and six Chinese experts in the field participated in the training.

Susanne Schnuttgen, an official with the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage at UNESCO; Xu Rong, director of International Training Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO; Chen Shaohua, head of the Publicity Department for the Baoan District in Shenzhen and trainers attended the opening ceremony.

During the five-day course, the facilitators in training will discuss issues about strengthening capacity building of intangible cultural heritage protection between member states, development of the safeguarding plans and improvement of the policy on intangible cultural heritage protection and the important sense of strengthening capacity building towards sustainable development.

As a field study, the facilitators will visit the Fuyong Lion Dance Training Base to investigate the Fuyong Lion Dancy, which is on the first batch of intangible cultural heritage in Guangdong province.

During the last decade, the protection of intangible cultural heritage around the world has been enhanced and developed enormously under the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO, as well as its branches, acting as the leader and the witness of this significant process, has been praised for its contribution.

The International Training Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO is an international institution in the field under the agreement between the government of the People’s Republic of China and UNESCO, taking responsibility for strengthening capacity building on intangible cultural heritage, conducting training courses for professionals in the field and constructing teams on heritage protection in the Asia-Pacific Region. So far, the center has held several training sessions in China, Cambodia and Samoa.