Main goal is to safeguard and ensure sustainable development of the Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets.
The following primary objectives were specified in the nomination:
1. To strengthen the existing legal instruments in the craft sector:
A number of activities aimed to improve the existing state regulations and other documents related to intangible cultural heritage were implemented during the reporting period to fulfill assumed obligations;
2. To elaborate the state strategy on safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage:
Development and adoption of the National Program for the Safeguarding, Research and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage;
3. To create training and practicing centers for the element knowledge transmission to the next generations:
Recently, in Kyrgyzstan was created association of craftsmen and were opened the traning and practicing centers in all regions of the country. They play an important role in enhancing the element sustainability, safeguarding and transmitting the knowledge to the young generation. Various international and national organizations and business communities support the production of felt carpets in rural areas of Kyrgyzstan through funding training projects. The number of craftsmen is steadily growing throughout the country and is currently 2,350 people.
The Government also encourages felt carpet makers. There were 7 masters of felt carpets who received State Awards in 2016 - for the first time in the history of Kyrgyzstan.
4. To improve the quality of wool;
Field surveys were conducted to identify bearers and practitioners of the traditional rough and fatty wool processing technology and training sessions on traditional technological cycle of wool treatment and processing. Currently, wool database creation is under elaboration and preparation of methodical manual on the technologies for rough and fatty wool treatment and its processing into felt products is being completed.
In addition, to improve the quality of wool of the local sheep breeds used by craftsmen as raw materials for the production of traditional felt carpets, research on insemination and improvement of local sheep breeds is being conducted. As well as, the "Program for Agricultural Development in the KR for 2017-2020" aimed to support rural handicraft activities to obtain high-quality wool varieties.
5. To document, safeguard and promote the knowledge and skills related to the production of traditional felt carpets;
To identify and systematize various types of traditional techniques for felt carpets manufacturing, the Ministry of Culture, the National Academy and craftsmen conducted field surveys which resulted in the creation of the craftsmen database and included additional information concerning the element to the National List of ICH.
After inscription, traditional Kyrgyz carpets became more widely known to the public both in Kyrgyzstan and abroad. Nowadays, there is more information on traditional felt carpets and knowledge bearers and practicioners in the national mass media (newspapers, Internet sites and on TV). Various festivals, master classes, and etc. were conducted. For example, the National Museum has replenished its collections of traditional felt carpets with 20 new exhibits as a result of the contest at the Felt Carpets Festival.
6. To develop local and international markets for the Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets.
Demand for felt carpets (mainly for Shyrdak) significantly increased in the local and international markets during the reporting period and is steadily growing. Visits to training and practicing centers of craftsmen, master classes on Shyrdak and Ala-kiyiz manufacturing have sustainable success among the local population, as well as among foreign guests, thus contributing to increase awareness of the element among international community.

Main activities were conducted to achieve the intended results:
1. To improve the existing state regulations and other documents related to intangible cultural heritage:
On 27th of October 2015, the Government adopted the 2020 Culture Development Program aimed to develop culture related industries, in particular, identification, safeguarding, usage and promotion of cultural heritage.
On 27th of September 2017, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Law was amended and supplemented with provisions of ICH safeguarding.
In 2015, the Law on Historical and Cultural Heritage Protection and Use was amended to include measures for safeguarding and use of ICH elements located on the territory of historical and cultural sites. They are even more adapted to the provisions of the 2003 Convention and are consistent with its objectives.
Governmental Resolution has adopted the National Program for Safeguarding, Research and Promotion of the Intangible Cultural Heritage for 2012-2017. This program was developed by an expert group composed from the representatives of all governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, including the bearers and practicioners of ICH.
ICH capacity safeguarding and its development was also enclosed to the Draft National Strategy for Sustainable Development of the KR for 2018-2040 "Taza koom – Jany door".
In 2013, the Craft Council of Kyrgyzstan was created aimed to unite craftsmen based on common interests for safeguarding and further development of the national craftsmanship in the Kyrgyz Republic, at the national and international levels. The craftsmen were also included to the Craft Council.
Development and improvement of the normative and legal acts created a solid and favorable basis for ICH safeguarding and development as a whole, and the felt carpets manufacturing tradition in particular. Implementation of the National Program for ICH safeguarding facilitated the realization of certain activities outlined in the element safeguarding plan. However, despite of measures undertaken to strengthen and improve ICH regulatory framework, the Government has not yet developed the state strategy for craftsmanship development in the Kyrgyz Republic. It should be based on the principle of traditional craftsmanship continuity, and in particular, safeguarding and development of felt carpets manufacturing traditions, increasing the number of followers of this heritage, protection of the rights of craftsmen. Creation of the national committee for the element safeguarding would also facilitate more activities in this area.
In addition, nowadays there is a need to support craftsmen at the state level in the field of taxation, lending, subsidizing and granting.
2. Creation of craftsmen associations, opening of training and practicing centers in all regions of the country:
Currently, community-based training and practicing centers are opened in each region of Kyrgyzstan. From 2012 to 2017, felt carpets craftsmen trained more than 700 pupils. About 500 women and girls were trained in traditional wool processing technologies and felt carpets art making. Also, crafts training courses were opened at schools and vocational schools. For example, in 2016 at the vocational lyceum No. 58 was opened such courses in Nookat (Osh region).
The inscription of the element on the USL makes our craft heritage significant not only among felt carpets makers, but also among all craftsmen in the country. Following element inscription, they held several meetings at the local and national levels, and decided to create a Craft Council, which was established in 2014.
Opening of the training and practicing centers allowed to increase the number of element practitioners to 2,350 people throughout the country.
At the same time, insufficient inclusion into the formal education system – schools and vocational lyceums curricula to bring-up new generation of craftsmen to be able to continue craftsmanship traditions and use knowledge and skills in modern reality is still a problem.
3. To conduct training sessions on different types of Shyrdak and Ala-kiyiz manufacturing, as well as festivals, contests, master classes and awareness raising:
In order to raise awareness and attract young people to felt carpets making art, the community jointly with the Craft Council, the Ministry of Culture and other interested organizations and individuals continuously conduct various activities.
For example, since 2013 the Felt Carpets Festival is held annually. Felt carpets fairs, best felt carpet contests among craftsmen, contest for the best carpets safekeeping as a family relic and contests among young people for the best felt technologies mastering are held during the festival. In addition, as part of this Festival, Altyn Choychok - the felt carpets manufacturers association of the At-Bashi district awards scholarships named after the professional Janyl Alibekova for the talented youth.
Training sessions on mastering skills to determine wool quality and qualitative processing of raw materials are periodically held for craftsmen in different regions of the country so that to increase the competitiveness of their production in the local and international markets.
The number of TV programs about felt carpets and their bearers and practitioners has increased on public and private channels of Kyrgyzstan to raise the awareness of the wider public. In 2015, 12 TV programs "Portrait of a Master" were aired on the "Sanat" channel.
In 2016, the Public Foundation CACSARC-kg published a colorful 360-page album "Shyrdak, Kyrgyz Traditional Felt Carpet" in Kyrgyz, Russian and English languages. The book was provided to the national museums, public libraries, universities, as well as to the relevant organizations abroad: handicraft associations and museums of Central Asia and the Pacific countries and to the office of the World Craft Council.
4. To promote the carpets made of Kyrgyzstan craftsmen’s felt at the international level through participating in international exhibitions and fairs.
The craftsmanship groups made great efforts to develop the felt carpets market in the country and abroad. They supply Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets to the European countries and the USA.
Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets entered to the international market: in 2015, a store "Shyrdak Avenue" was opened in Zurich selling felt carpets and souvenirs. Shyrdak is also represented in the prestigious salon L'Aviva Home in New York.
In 2016 and 2017 Kyrgyz researches and collectors of traditional textile visited the State Carpet Museum in Baku, Azerbaijan that aimed to introduce the Art of Kyrgyz Felt carpets. To increase public awareness of the Kyrgyz felt carpets abroad, several Kyrgyz NGOs, working in cultural sphere in partnership with the Carpet Museum in Baku started to develop a joint project “International Felt Cross-roads” Festival in Baku in October of 2018.
5. Inventorization and creation of the felt carpets database
In order to identify and systematize traditional knowledge of the Kyrgyz people related to craftsmanship technologies, felt carpets and ornaments manufacturing, as well as the use of natural resources as raw material, the Ministry of Culture, the National Academy and NGOs conducted field surveys, which resulted in the creation of the craftsmen database and included additional information concerning the element to the National List of ICH. This database can be used by craftsmen, artists, ethnographers, historians, art historians, teachers, students, as well as all stakeholders.
The Public Foundation "Felt Art Studio" created a database on ancient Shyrdak patterns, which contains 55 Shyrdak patterns and uses them for training the young generation.
Field surveys were conducted to identify bearers and practitioners, who use traditional rough and fatty wool processing technology, as well as training sessions on traditional wool treatment and processing technological cycle. Preparation of a methodical manual on rough and fatty wool treatment and its processing into felt products is being completed.

Element bearers and practitioners directly took part in organizing and conducting the following activities to safeguard and promote the element:
Community representatives were included in the working group for the development of the 2020 Culture Development Program and the working group on amending the Intangible Cultural Heritage Law and the Law on the Historical and Cultural Heritage Protection and Use;
Traning and practiing centers were opened in each region of Kyrgyzstan for young generation;
In addition, master classes were held as part of various events, for example, at the World Nomad Games in 2015 and 2016 and in the Almalau ethno village from April to October approximately 20-25 master classes monthly with 4 - 30 people in a group.
Festivals are organized and held, for example, during the Felt Carpets Festival, the community of the element bearers and practitioners from the At-Bashi district was fully engaged in management issues: negotiated with the local authorities and the Ministry of Culture; conducted fundraising events; organized the work of the jury and master classes on felt technologies, and etc.
They took an active part in preparing publication of the book "Shyrdak, the Kyrgyz Traditional Felt Carpet". They shared knowledge, helped to collect information and photo materials and participated in the creation of the Shyrdak classifier. During the book presentation they organized felt carpets exhibition with a demonstration and participated on TV programs about the book creating process.
They also make efforts to promote the element at the domestic and foreign markets. For example, one group consisting of 27 women and 4 men produces 350-400 Shyrdak and Ala-kiyiz for export annually. Approximate annual income is up to 70-90 thousand euro.
The Aigine Cultural Research Center jointly with the Craft Council conducted researches and trainings on traditional rough wool processing technologies.
Activities to safeguard and promote the element were implemented by the Craft Council of Kyrgyzstan, the Public Foundation CACSARC-kg and the Ministry of Culture.
The Craft Council of Kyrgyzstan is the craftsmen association has united more than 5000 craftsmen throughout Kyrgyzstan and with the representatives of all regions in the country. It also includes felt carpets makers.
CACSARC-kg is the Public Foundation registered in 2009 engaged in the revival, safeguarding and development of traditional crafts and culture of Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. This Foundation also includes NGOs who engaged in felt carpets safeguarding.
To organize activities for the element safeguarding, implementing organizations also involved the representatives of the civil society, academicians, experts and business communities.

Funds from the state budget were used to develop and prepare various regulatory and legal documents related to ICH safeguarding; it took two years, while the approval in the Government and the Parliament.
By now, 130,000 USD were spent for activities aimed to improve wool quality, research and disseminate traditional techniques of rough wool processing. Active work started in 2014 and is still under elaboration. Measures to improve wool quality were implemented in Naryn region, field research on the traditional coarse wool processing technique was conducted in 3 regions. These activities were funded by the international organizations, business communities and the Union of Craftsmen. In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture has been making efforts to improve the breed of the local sheep.
Approximately 140,000 USD were spent for field work and research, inclusion of additional information on the element to the National List, creation of the database of the element bearers and practitioners and other activities in this field.
Approximately 700,000 USD were spent in total for opening community-based training and practicing centers and in vocational schools. The funding were covered by the Government, international organizations and communities. In some areas, local authorities and business communities provided for free their premises for opening training and practicing centers.
Awareness raising activities (festivals, master classes, educational excursions, and etc.) were funded by the Government, private organizations, CACSA-kg and the Craft Council. Approximately 1 million USD were spent for these events from 2013 to 2017, taking no account of the voluntary contribution of the communities and some organizations.
Two big books to popularize the element - ''Shyrdak'' and ''Felt Carpets'' were published during the reporting period using private funds amounting to 150,000 USD. In 2016, the book “Shyrdak” was awarded a Diploma at the International Book Fair in the "Cognitive Book" nomination.

Inscription of the element on the USL contributed to raise the awareness and value of the element, not only among craftsmen, but also among the wider population in general. The implementation of the approved safeguarding plan also helped to promote this element and make it more visible.
People now showing their active interest in this traditional art and buying felt carpets; the tradition of mandatory Shyrdak and Ala-kiyiz as bride’s dowry has revived; hotels and offices now using felt carpets as a decoration; excursion routes of the tourist companies now include visiting workshops of craftsmen - felt carpets manufacturers. All these activities contributed in strengthening the element transmitting and improving the well-being of the communities.
Government’s assistance as part of creating the ICH related regulatory framework enabled to establish a solid and favorable basis for safeguarding and development of ICH as a whole and felt carpets making tradition in particular.
Activities that helped to raise the awareness and attract young generation to the carpets making art include opening training and practicing centers, organizing training sessions, master classes, contests, festivals, publishing books, media coverage both in the country and abroad.
Significant role and assistance of youth organizations in the element popularization should be mentioned as well. For example, they helped to conduct master classes, educational excursions to training and practicing centers and organized computer training for elderly craftsmen, advertised felt carpets on social networks, for example, they opened pages on Facebook, Instagram, and etc., which also helped them to find new markets for felt carpets.
The assumed obligations are performed due to close cooperation of the Government, communities and non-governmental organizations. Active participation of all stakeholders have increased the viability of this element. Although, contribution of each party to implementation of certain safeguarding activities varies, their efforts are equally necessary for this element safeguarding.
Contribution of international organizations, business communities and NGOs to safeguard this element is funding of various short- and long-term programs for the development of income-generating craftsmanship activities in rural areas using local agricultural raw materials. This approach contributes not only on safeguarding, but also to further development of traditional craftsmanship knowledge and technologies concentrated in the rural environment, taking into account careful attitude towards local ecosystems and their reproduction.
The production and tourism businesses, for which traditional crafts in particular, the felt carpets making art, are a cultural phenomenon attracting clients and tourists, actively engaging in advertising felt carpets and contributing to maintain interest in this element at the international level.
Mass media also contributed to the promotion and awareness raising about the element both at the national and international level.
While contribution of each of these parties to implementation of certain safeguarding measures varies and is unbalanced, their efforts are equally necessary for safeguarding this element.
Given wide public response to the above activities, it can be summarized that the total utilization of funds from various sources were effective.
However, it should be recognized that compared to funds allocated by the community, NGOs, international organizations and private foundations, the Government's contribution to some activities is insignificant and should be increased in the nearest future.
Increasing public financial investments, as well as targeted management involving more government human resources could ensure much more efficiency from the planned element safeguarding activities. With the greater involvement of local authorities, namely local administrations in supporting current element safeguarding initiatives of individual craftsmen and felt carpets making communities, more distinct results can be achieved.
Government’s control and more active assistance to efforts of various players in the craft sector could ensure in the future not only safeguarding, but also sustainable development of felt carpets that would allow the element transfer from the ICH List in need of Urgent Safeguarding to the Representative List of ICH.
Accordingly, it is necessary to continue active efforts aimed to revive and popularize Kyrgyz traditional felt carpets by all the above interested players in close cooperation with each other.