World Forum for intangible Cultural Heritage

“Recognizing that the processes of globalization and social transformation, alongside the conditions they create for renewed dialogue among communities, also give rise, as does the phenomenon of intolerance, to grave threats of deterioration, disappearance and destruction of the intangible cultural heritage, in particular owing to a lack of resources for safeguarding such heritage; being aware of the universal will and the common concern to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of humanity; recognizing that communities, in particular indigenous communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals, play an important role in the production, safeguarding, maintenance and re-creation of the intangible cultural heritage, thus helping to enrich cultural diversity and human creativity […]”

- Excerpt from the text of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage -

UNESCO has long emphasized the role of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) as the driving force behind cultural diversity and a way to guarantee sustainable development. In the spirit of the 1989 Recommendation on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore, the 2001 Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity to overcome inter-cultural boundaries and achieve mutual respect, and the 2002 Istanbul Declaration, UNESCO has built the framework for the establishment of policies to safeguard ICH by adopting the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim to ensure the protection and transmission of ICH as a vital element in maintaining cultural diversity amid the accelerated intensification of the globalized system.

The year 2023 marks the 20th anniversary for the adoption of the 2003 ICH Convention. To date, UNESCO, its 180 member states, and various stakeholders have made various efforts to safeguard ICH based on the Convention, while simultaneously endeavoring to ensure a sustainable future by making efforts such as providing venues of conversation and cooperation. In celebration of the Convention’s 20th anniversary, UNESCO proposed a commemorative event to reflect on the values of the Convention, to which the Korean government expressed its wish to participate in the UNESCO initiative through the World Forum for Intangible Cultural Heritage.

To this end, under the theme of “Achievements in safeguarding ICH over the past two decades and further prospects,” the 2023 World Forum for Intangible Cultural Heritage is intended to serve as a time to hear from policy-makers, NGOs and experts, including ICH communities, regarding their experiences and achievements in safeguarding ICH throughout the past 20 years. In addition, it will also simultaneously highlight ICH-related discourses and issues, explore the outlook on safeguarding ICH in the future, and prepare for the coming 20 years. We hereby extend a warm invitation to all of you to join us at this meaningful event, which is intended to raise popular awareness toward the values of the Convention and the importance of safeguarding ICH, while building consensus and empathy for the protection of ICH.