Workshop on Community-based Inventorying of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Bhutan, 2-9 April 2013
A Workshop on Community-based Inventorying of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) will be held in Phuntsholing, a border town in southern Bhutan, from 2 to 9 April 2013. This Workshop is funded by UNESCO/Japanese Funds-in-Trust.
Bhutan is one of few nations that have maintained strong linkage between modern and ancient culture. Local communities reflect great awareness of the safeguarding of Bhutanese tradition and culture, ranging from etiquette, individual names, national dress code to religious festivals.
As state party to the 2003 Convention since 2005, Bhutan has been actively engaged in the ICH safeguarding by strengthening ICH safeguarding measures. The Workshop to be held in Phuntsholing will be the 2nd workshop hosted by Bhutan within the framework of UNESCO's regional capacity building programme. It brings together stakeholders ranging from professionals or senior level officers responsible for ICH safeguarding at national and provincial levels, NGOs, community-based organisations, faith-based organisations, to ICH custodians and communities. They will have a chance to learn good practice in community-based ICH inventorying which will support the above pilot project.
The Workshop will focus; i) community involvement in inventorying cultural resources, ii) importance of cultural protocol in community-based inventorying, iii) a hands-on experience in preparing field work.