Dr. Aijarkyn Kojobekova has been participating in a series of Training of Trainers on different aspects of ICH organized by the UNESCO in Central Asian region since 2016 which helped her to step forward in this field. Since then, she has been conducting a series of workshops on safeguarding ICH and implementing of the 2003 UNESCO Convention in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). \n\nIn 2018 she was actively involved in a regional research project on ICH in the TVET system and also coordinated the research project on ICH in TVET in Central Asia. In 2020 Dr. Aijarkyn Kojobekova worked on the national manual on safeguarding sacred sites, rituals and practices related to sacred sites in Kyrgyzstan. During the work, she has explored the challenges and opportunities local communities and individuals face in practicing worship on sacred sites and what safeguarding measures need to be taken by the communities themselves, local authorities and state bodies. \n\nShe has facilitated an online meeting and conducted face-to-face training on intangible cultural heritage (ICH) community-based inventorying along the Tian Shan Corridor of the Silk Roads in Kyrgyzstan. She has been also involved in research on the Inventory of ICH elements in Kyrgyzstan in the framework of the community-based inventorying along the Tian Shan Corridor of the Silk Roads in Kyrgyzstan within the framework of the EU/UNESCO Project: “Silk Road Heritage Corridors in Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Iran – International Dimension of the European Year of Cultural Heritage”. In 2022 she developed a manual for school teachers on ICH in Kyrgyzstan. \n\nDr. Aijarkyn Kojobekova has: \n- 10-year collaboration experience with different local and international organizations: Open Society Institute, UNDP, UNESCO, IFES, SaferWorld, IWPR, Soros-Kyrgyzstan Foundation, Aigine Cultural Research Center and others.\n- 15-year expertise in revealing the content of different types of reading materials by the means of critical discourse analysis, narrative analysis, in expert interviewing, working with massive of literature, processing collected data by MAXQDA programme, conceptualizing complicated processes and sociocultural phenomena.\n- 19-year teaching of social sciences (sociology, political science). Courses: Qualitative Social Research Methodology, Past in Present: Memory, Culture and Politics, Nation-building in Central Asia, Social Stratification.\n\nPublications: 5 manuals, 1 monograph in co-authorship, more than 70 articles (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, Russia, Turkey, USA)

Mr Sayidafzal Mallakhanov obtained a Bachelor’s Degree (2000) and a Master’s Degree (2002) from the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies. Since 2002 he is working at the National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO (Senior Expert/Deputy Secretary-General).\n\nHe was the coordinator for preparation following multinational and national nominations to the Representative List of ICH and Good Practices for ICH Safeguarding: “Katta Ashula”, Askiya”, “Navruz”, “Palov Culture and Tradition”, “Margilan Crafts Development Center: Safeguarding of the Atlas and Adras Making Traditional Technologies”, “Khorazm Dance – Lazgi”, “Miniature Art”, “Bakhshi Arts”, “Telling tradition of Nasreddin Hodja”, “Art of crafting and playing Robāb/Rubāb/Rubob”, “Traditional embroidery of Central Asia”, “Traditional folk games of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan”, “Sericulture and Traditional Production of Silk for Weaving”. Moreover, Mr Sayidafzal Mallakhanov was also coordinator of the Uzbekistan -ICHCAP Cooperative Project: Publishing an ICH Inventory Booklet (2015-2017) and the ICHCAP Project on Conducting ICH Video Documentation in Uzbekistan (2015-2018).\n

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MEMORIAMEDIA began in 2006 in the midst of a broad national and international discussion regarding the issuesnrelated to intangible cultural heritage. This communication crosses such theoretical, methodological, and technicalnquestions with the characterization of the project. MEMORIAMEDIA aims to study, inventory, and disseminatenmanifestations of intangible cultural heritage.

The Indonesian Heritage Network—Jaringan Kota Pusaka Indonesia (JKPI)—is a good example of networking among local governments for safeguarding ICH.\nThe Indonesian Heritage Cities Network is an inter-local government organization (not an NGO) that coordinates on a national level among cities and districts possessing varieties of natural and/or cultural heritage (tangible and intangible). JKPI aims to jointly safeguard natural and cultural heritage including ICH. JKPI was declared on 25 October 2008 in Surakarta City by twelve cities. One of the mayors who declared the establishment of JKPI was Ir. Joko Widodo, then Mayor of Surakarta and host of the meeting, (presently 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia.) As of the seventh National Working Meeting Karangasem, Bali in June 2019, JKPI has seventy member cities and districts. The objectives of JKPI are:n• To develop collaboration amongst cities (and districts) having important natural and cultural heritagen• To develop collaboration for safeguarding heritage with stakeholdersn• To promote a role of communities in safeguarding heritage and its positive development in social lifen• To inventory the wealth of the heritage of the member cities/districts of JKPIn• To develop an understanding of the diverse nature and culture to strengthen the Unified State of the Republic of Indonesian• To be used as a vehicle for promoting existing heritage for JKPI member cities/districts3nJKPI is a non-profit and independent organization, and is not intended to advance the interests of, or be affiliated with, any group or political party.

The Center for Intangible Culture Studies (CICS) was established to enhance researches and promote safeguarding actives of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). CICS puts special efforts for finding measures for protecting and preserving ICH with academic concerns and in-depth understanding of its distinctive characteristics. CICS has been involved in many fruitful tasks such as research, inventorying and publishing. nCICS also established another special field; ICHPEDIA, a web-based ICH encyclopedia in collaboration with Cultural Heritage Administration of Korean Government. The purposes of establishing ICHPEDIA and archives are (1) to collect basic information to draw up National ICH inventory (2) to provide communities, specialists, and general users with easy access to our digitalized ICHPEDIA, (3) to encourage active participation of those who have interests in ICH, (4) to enhance cultural diversity.\nAs such CICS has so far endeavored to develop diverse programs from collecting primary sources of ICH and constructing the best web-based ICH inventory to developing the educational programs and application programs. CICS is standing in the forefront of the world’s ICH research institutions.

The Sangeet Natak Akademi - India's national academy for music, dance and drama - is the first National Academy of the arts set-up by the Republic of India. It was created by a resolution of the (then) Ministry of Education, Government of India, dated 31 May 1952 notified in the Gazette of India of June 1952. The Akademi became functional the following year, with the appointment of its first Chairman, Dr P.V. Rajamannar, and the formation of its all-India council of representatives, the General Council.\nIn fulfilment of its obligations under the UNESCO convention on ICH, a statute to which India is a signatory, the Ministry of Culture, Govt. Of India, has declared the Sangeet Natak Akademi, India’s apex body on culture, as the Nodal centre for coordinating India’s nominations for various lists and other actions such as developing and maintaining the National Inventory of ICH.