Of the Four Palaces religion of Vietnam, Mother Goddess Lieu Hanh is the most important figure. People believe that this Mother Goddess has the power to create and govern the four domains of the Universe, which are represented by different colors: the Celestial Palace (Heaven) is red; the Earth Palace is yellow; the Water Palace (rivers and oceans) is white; and the Mountain Palace (mountains and forests) is green. Below this Mother Goddess in the pantheon is a system of male and female deities including Quan (Great Mandarins, male deities), Chau (Ladies of Honor, female deities), Ong Hoang (Princes, male deities), Co (Royal Damsels, female deities), and Cau (Boy Attendants, male deities).

Azerbaijan is one of the countries whose history is inextricably linked with the Silk Road. From ancient times, the network trade routes connecting the east with the west and the south with the north crossed the territory of Azerbaijan.

Traditional handicrafts are described as objects that are made manually and are influenced by an area’s geographical condition, history and climate, which have supported people’s lives throughout history.

The shrinking of the Aral Sea has been named “perhaps the biggest ecological disaster of our time,” one showing that “humans can destroy the planet” (Guterres, 2017), and “one of the planet’s most shocking disasters” (Ban, 2010). The shrinking has had significant negative consequences on all aspects of life in Central Asia, including the ecosystem, public health, and the economy. I have personally witnessed the dramatic changes in the region, and the tragic consequences it has had on the local community. Thus, my awareness of this ecological disaster and the suffering of the region’s people comes not solely from news outlets, articles, books, documentaries, and other related materials, but also from my personal experience of \nvisiting the site and talking with the local people.

At present, there are 23 nationally designated urushi lacquerware production sites4) in Japan. Most of these regions are known for making everyday household items such as dishware. Urushi production sites exist all across the country, and have developed region-specific techniques that are adapted to the local environment and lifestyles. These techniques have been passed down by artisans.\nOn the other hand, urushi is also used in many traditional buildings. The urushi production sites involved in architectural applications are not limited to the abovementioned 23 areas. In recent years, there have been many instances of urushi reapplication during repair and restoration of buildings that are over 100 years old and nationally recognized as important cultural properties. This paper will summarize the current state of urushi application in repairing important cultural properties, and offer context to the issues raised in Japan’s domestic lacquer industry and supporting systems of production.

Bongsan Talchum, or the Bongsan mask-dance drama, was originally transmitted in Giryang-ri, Dongseon-myeon, Bongsan-gun, Hwanghae Province in the northern part of Korean Peninsula. However, with the relocation of administrative bodies, including the district office to Sariwon in 1915, the mask-dance drama and its transmission activities were also transferred to the area. In South Korea, Bongsan Talchum had been transmitted since its restoration by performers who originated from the North, including Jin-ok Kim and Cheon-sik Min, and was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Property No. 17 in 1967. The office of the Bongsan Mask Dance-Drama Preservation Society is currently housed within the Training Center for Important Intangible Cultural Properties in Seoul.

The art of lacquer painting of Uzbekistan has deep traditional roots. Lacquer had been used in Samarkand since the Temurids epoch (fourteenth to fifteenth centuries). These facts can be testified by miraculously preserved original ornamental medallions from papier-mâché in the interiors of Mosque Bibi-Khanim. Particular interest represents carved doors and completely restored golden-blue dome, at the interior of the main building of Gur-Emir, consisting of 998 papier-mâché elements (tosh qog’oz in Uzbek).

Federation of Handicraft Associations of Nepal was established in 1972 to enhance and promote handicrafts trade and industry. It is a service-oriented non-profit organization working with the private sector and the artisan community. It helps its members to improve their productivity, explores markets and introduces them to the international arena. It also acts as a liaison agency between its members and the government and other non-government organizations. The aim of the federation is to work towards a steady growth of handicrafts trade and industry. They encourage Nepalese artisans to adopt handicraft production as their profession by preserving Nepalese cultural heritage.

A major part of the Iranian Plateau consists of vast deserts with low precipitation ratios. Interestingly, the land has been home to numerous settlements since prehistory. To all these settlements, water constituted, as it is still is, a vital natural resource with economic, social, and cultural values.

How far the objective of the Baul philosophy of secularism or religious tolerance can motivate a people calls for some investigation. Yet, in Bangladesh and in states similarly multicultural and free of racial prejudice, this has achieved unbelievable success. Here, adherence to coded instructions, manners, tradition, and action bears more significance for the people than their personal sense of values. The Baul followers, by moving away from that mindset, placed more emphasis on humanism and religious harmony and created a system where people, irrespective of race, sect, education, and socioeconomic status, get imbued with the same devotional spirit, sitting in the same platform.

Sevalanka Foundation of Sri Lanka was established in 1992 and eventually developed a large network in the country. Its mission is to enhance the capacity of rural communities to democratically identify and address their development needs and provide services that contribute to economically viable, socially just, and ecologically sustainable development of Sri Lanka. The Foundation has a ‘community development’ approach to poverty alleviation and economic improvement. The program areas cover Organizational Development, Disaster Management, and Livelihood Generation. Sevalanka works with youths, diversified communities and religious/ community leaders, helping build a network to bring about a joint effort for peace in their communities and socio-economic improvement of the people. They are supporting communities in preserving their traditional livelihoods by providing training, credit facilities, value addition, and market linkage.

Yoga is a traditional practice from India that focuses on bringing harmony between mind and body. It is also known as the art and science of healthy living. Yoga is a combination of postures (called asanas), breathing techniques (called pranayama), relaxation, and meditation.