World Forum for intangible Cultural Heritage

Ahmed EIWEIDA

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Ahmed Eiweida is the World Bank Global Coordinator for Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Tourism. Ahmed has over 25 years’ experience in cultural heritage, cultural and creative industries, sustainable tourism, rural revitalization, urban policies, local economic development, urban upgrading and urban regeneration. He joined the World Bank in 2000 and since then worked in more than 15 countries in East Asia and Pacific Islands, East Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Ahmed was the Program Leader of Sustainable Development in Viet Nam (based in Hanoi) and the South Caucasus Region (Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan), based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Ahmed assisted the Governments of Georgia and Armenia to prepare their sustainable tourism strategies and led several World Bank-financed projects in support of regional development through strategic investments in cultural heritage, sustainable tourism and urban regeneration. He led similar initiatives in China, and the Philippines. Ahmed is the co-author of the World Bank and UNESCO joint position papers of 『City, Culture and Creativity』 and 『Culture in City Reconstruction and Recovery』 (CURE). Ahmed holds a PhD in Urban Development and an MSc. on Environmental Management from the University of Glasgow, The UK.

Jang Hyuk IM

MODERATOR

With a specialization in folklore studies, the professor served for nine years as a curator at Korea Heritage Service, the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, and the National Folk Museum of Korea, contributing to the transmission and promotion of intangible and folk heritage. Following this, he taught for 22 years as a professor in the Department of Asian Culture at Chung-Ang University, focusing on folklore and intangible cultural heritage, and currently continues to lecture as Professor Emeritus. The professor has published numerous papers on the development of Korea’s intangible cultural heritage system and the adoption and implementation of similar systems in various Asian countries. He is also actively serving as Honorary President of the Asian Comparative Folklore Society and as Vice Chairperson of the Intangible Heritage Committee.

Joseph LO

SPEAKER

Dr. Joseph Lo is an expert in intangible cultural heritage and cultural and creative industry development with over 25 years of field experience across Asia, including Bhutan, China (Tibet), Mongolia, Afghanistan, Timor-Leste and in ASEAN. His work bridges cultural policy, traditional knowledge systems, craft development and economic empowerment, especially in post-conflict and rural settings. He has led and advised on flagship projects for UNESCO, UNDP, and the British Council, designing methodologies for safeguarding ICH through training, product development, and community-led strategies. His PhD research explored markers of authenticity in hand-woven textiles, and he has published widely on cultural resilience and heritage-based design. Dr. Lo serves as a Regional Expert for the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, Cultural/2030 Indicators and a member of the expert group on the Economic Dimensions of Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding. He also sits on the advisory panels of the World Crafts Council (Asia-Pacific) and the British Museum’s Endangered Material Knowledge Programme. A strong advocate for cultural integrity and community agency, he has delivered keynotes and chaired sessions at international forums on ICH, creative industries, and heritage sustainability. Through his work, he continues to support living heritage as a source of identity, wellbeing, and inclusive development.