Stakeholders
ICH
ICH Stakeholders 198
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Palu Community
Ali Haleyalur of Lamotrek Island, Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia, is one of the few remaining people with the knowledge and skills to journey long distances on the open ocean in traditional voyaging canoes without using modern instruments. He and the small community of palu (Carolinian master navigators) alive today learned this wayfinding knowledge through years of apprenticeship with the master navigators throughout the Caroline Islands of Micronesia. Customarily, the knowledge and practices required to navigate over what can be treacherous waters have been passed along to only a few select descendants of ancestral lineages that have protected the valuable practice for thousands of years.\nNavigation between the small inhabited islands continues to be a valuable practice that helps islanders sustain clan ties and obtain resources for survival. Traditional navigation is also seen as a vital form of intangible cultural heritage since it is a distinct facet of many Pacific Islander cultures and identities. Unfortunately, however, the knowledge and practices associated with traditional navigation are disappearing rapidly mainly because modern technologies and lifestyles make it much more difficult for palu to find young apprentices. With only a handful of master navigators still alive today, it is crucial to find new ways to safeguard this precious cultural practice.
Micronesia -
Lkhon Khol Community
Lkhon khol of Wat Svay Andet continues today because of its significance in the community’s beliefs and identity, but over the last decade it has been experiencing difficulty. Despite of having some support from the state, NGOs, and the community itself, the troop has faced some challenges, such as the lack of dance costumes, ornaments, masks, stages, and musical instruments. Furthermore, the number of performers has been gradually decreasing due to aging and a lack of natural talent, and the younger generations show little interest since the performances generate no income and they are busy with their studies or working.\nTraditionally, the lkhon khol is transmitted orally within a family and through informal, master-apprentice relationships. Community leaders, masters, and the temple patriarch also encourage younger generations to learn lkhon khol skills to ensure that the art form remains part of the community’s living cultural practice.\nApprentices have historically learned their preferential skills at their masters’ house at night, a time they were free from their agriculture work. While the same practice continues, recently amateurs are learning their art skills in groups during the day on Sundays or occasionally Thursday at the temple compound.
Cambodia -
Thundukuna Community
Thundukuna is a special mat woven from reeds indigenous to the marshlands of Maldives. The reed is locally known as hau. Mat weaving from hau dates back some two hundred years, and this long history is mostly associated with the southernmost atolls. Thundukuna is a genuine Maldivian product, as everything that goes into producing the mat is indigenous and locally procured from our natural habitat. In this respect, the most basic things like the threads holding the reeds in place are made from the sea hibiscus bark. The eye-catching, environmentally friendly, nonfading mats are made from the local flora’s bark and roots. Before the introduction of cheap factory-made nylon mats into Maldives in early 1970s, thundukuna enjoyed a special place in most Maldivian households. These mats adorned the coir rope stringed beds, swings, and boduashi. Gaddhoo kuna, a superior quality mat woven by Gaddhoo islanders, is a favorite of the rich.
Maldives -
Killimangalam Weaving Cooperative Society
The Kurava community migrated from Tamil Nadu and settled along the banks of the Nila River where they followed mat weaving traditions for many generations. Unfortunately, because of low financial returns and scarce raw materials, the community to lost interest in traditional weaving, leaving only one practitioner, Mr. U. Chami, who took the tradition forward for many years through the Killimangalam Weaving Cooperative Society. However, due to ill health at the age of 72, Chami left weaving behind. But before retiring, he taught traditional weaving skills to a non-native Kurava—Mrs. P. Prabhavathi. Today, Prabhavathi still holds Chami in high regard for his initiatives to train interested people, even those from outside the community. This willingness to train others laid foundation for the craft’s survival. For his efforts, Chami was recognized with the Master Craftsman Award by the Textile Ministry of India in 1992.
India
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Chris Ballard
I have worked as an archaeologist, anthropologist, and historian in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Vanuatu for 35 years. I was lead researcher for the World Heritage inscription of Chief Roi Mata's Domain in Vanuatu (2008) but most of my current work focuses on Living Heritage, especially in the context of emergencies (conflict and disasters), and questions of transmission.
Australia -
Harry Waluyo
axpert on intangible cultural heritage
Indonesia -
Dr. Keneshbek Almakuchukov
Keneshbek Almakuchukov is a researcher at the National History Museum of the Kyrgyz Republic. He is a Doctor of Economics (economics of culture). The topic of his doctoral dissertation was dedicated to “Marketing management in the sphere of culture”.\nDr. Almakuchukov has published a total of 36 scientific papers, including 7 monographs, and 3 textbooks.\n\nHe is also the head of the Public Foundation "Central Asia - Arts Management" which implements projects to support and develop bio-cultural diversity in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. His Foundation is well know for the organization of annual International Jazz Festivals since 2006 in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. In total, the foundation has organized about 17 International Jazz Festivals. \n\nIn 2021, Dr. Almakuchukov was in charge of the First Biennial (Forum) of Cultural Initiatives. The Biennale included an exhibition of the results of projects of 20 public organizations in the socio-cultural sphere, more than 20 creative events (master classes, performances, etc.), as well as a business program (panel sessions, open lectures, etc.).\n\nCurrently, he is engaged in museum activities and continues his research of cultural heritage-related topics. \n
Kyrgyzstan -
Gulnara Ibragimova
Ms. Gulnara Ibragimova is the manager of the “International Education Center” at the Educational Complex “Ilim” a UNESCO Associated School. She is also the focal point for the UNESCO Associated Schools Network in Kyrgyzstan.\n\nEducational Complex “Ilim” was established in 1993 and has a long institutional history. Since 1995, it is part of the UNESCO Network of Associated Schools (ASPpnet). Currently, it coordinates the network activities in Kyrgyzstan among its 15 members. The Complex itself includes primary, secondary and high schools as well as kindergarten.\n\nThe school aims to ensure that students have a full conceptual understanding of the subjects they study and helps them to develop new skills that can be applied in real life. Since “Ilim” joined the ASPnet schools Network it also became a key promoter of UNESCO values in the country. It implements multidisciplinary projects related to intercultural learning, human rights, sustainable development, etc.\n\nGulnara is responsible for maintaining international communications, implementing supplementary education programs, and cultural exchanges, and developing academic mobility - attracting foreign teachers, with the aim of convergence educational standards, improving the quality of education as well as the organization and implementing of international cooperation projects with UNESCO. She is also responsible for maintaining contacts with the National Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic for UNESCO in the realization of joint activities and reporting.\n\nIn 2020-2021 she has supported a pilot project of UNESCO “Integrating the Living Heritage into Education in Asia and the Pacific Region” in Kyrgyzstan, by identifying schools for the project and monitoring their work progress. \n\nFrom 2013 to the present, she is also the director of the “Koldo Shop” Public Foundation, which work is aimed at supporting people from socially vulnerable segments of the population, and these are people with disabilities, single mothers, pensioners, and large families with financial difficulties. The Foundation created a trading and educational platform for artisans from this target audience. \n\n
Kyrgyzstan
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Toguz Korgool Federation
Toguz Korgool Federation was founded in 1991 by bearers and practitioners that aimed to promote the game in all regions of the country.\n\nToguz korgool is played on a special board with pellets made of stone, wood, metal, etc. The game has several variations and improves the strategic and creative thinking of the players. Nowadays, toguz korgool is one of the popular traditional games played during many cultural, social, and sports events and contests. The Federation has established a number of clubs in schools and universities in the country to enhance peer-to-peer learning and the transmission of the game to a younger generation. \n\nToguz Korgool Federation promotes the game through different means by creating online games, conducting research, organizing contests, etc. Twice a year, trainers of the game strengthen their capacity by attending special courses. The toguz korgool game was included in the program of the World Nomad Games and attracted participants from 34 countries (as of 2018, during the III World Nomad Games). There is also International Toguz Korgool Federation which unites more than 56 countries that play this intellectual game. \n\nIn 2020, with the support of the Federation the nomination file “Traditional intelligence and strategy game: Togyzqumalaq, Toguz Korgool, Mangala/Göçürme” was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Türkiye. \n\nThe Federation continues its efforts in the wide dissemination, safeguarding, and promotion of the strategy game for global communities. \n
Kyrgyzstan -
Association of Vietnamese Folklorists (AVF)
\nAssociation of Vietnamese Folklorists (AVF), established in 1967, is an organization focusing onncollecting, researching, and promoting folklore cultures in Vietnam. The Association aggregatesnofficial and unofficial folklorists across the country and cooperates with governments at differentnlevels to establish programs and projects that aim at promoting values of traditional culturalnelements of different ethnic communities in Vietnam. In addition, AVF also consults governmentnand non-government organizations in activities and programs related to folklore. AVF has 78nbranches in different locations of which there are 48 branches in the North and 30 ones in the Southnof Vietnam.
Viet Nam -
Homer2000
Homer2000 is a newly founded NGO that aims to work with culturally endangered tribes and communities. Its objective is to develop a system to digitally document, archive, and make accessible the community’s cultural knowledge and practices. While Homer2000 is starting with a pilot community in northern Thailand, in its final stage, it aims to be an open system and will be made available to other communities and organizations that share similar objectives.
Thailand -
Shejun Agency
The Shejun Agency was established with the aim of preserving and passing on the rich cultural heritage of Bhutan to future generations. Shejun means “knowledge transmission” in Classical Tibetan and Dzongkha. Active since 2004, Shejun presently focuses on the documentation and study of Bhutan’s written heritage and oral traditions. The organization is located in Bhutan's capital, Thimphu, and made up of a group of committed national and international scholars, field researchers, and support staff.
Bhutan