The Ministry of Education and Culture in cooperation with UNESCO organise a sub-regional Training Workshop for the Implementation of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Jakarta 11-14 November 2013

The Ministry of Education and Culture of Indonesian with support from UNESCO are holding a sub-regional Training Workshop for the Implementation of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) on the Occasion of the Tenth Anniversary of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in order to strengthen the capacity of countries in the Southeast Asian region to the safeguarding ICH. This international workshop has brought together some 50 participants from Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Timor-Leste, as well as international experts and staff from UNESCO.

In her opening remarks for the workshop, Ms Diah Harianti, Director for Internalization of Value and Cultural Diplomacy, Ministry of Education and Culture, outlined that the Government of Indonesia had decided to hold this sub regional workshop in order to create new conditions for dialogue among communities and to help ensure a broad understanding of the possible activities involved in implementing the UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Indonesia and more widely in Southeast Asia.

Mr. Shahbaz Khan, Deputy Director of the UNESCO Office Jakarta, commended the Government of Indonesia through the Ministry of Education and Culture for its strong leadership in organizing this important workshop and encouraging dialogue and cohesion for the safeguarding of the living heritage as well as the effective implementation of the Convention in Indonesia and within the region. Mr. Khan also added that the workshop had particular significance as 2013 marks the 10th anniversary of UNESCO's 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The four day workshop will be facilitated by regional ICH experts Ms. Sajida Haider Vandal from Pakistan and Mr. Rahul Goswami from India. The workshop seeks to provide an overview of Convention, its background, rationale, spirit and mode of operation; introduce the Operational Directives (ODs) that guide its implementation; establish an understanding of the importance of raising awareness to ensure recognition of, respect for and enhancement of the ICH by encouraging practice and transmission of ICH through formal and non-formal education; and to review the progress made by the countries in the implementation of the Convention and identify future action plan to create an enabling environment for implementing the Convention.

• 12-11-2013