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)

Dr. Madhura Dutta is Director at banglanatak dot com (www.banglanatak.com), a 20 years old UN accredited social enterprise working towards inclusive and sustainable development using culture-based approaches. She leads international collaboration and research initiatives. She has 19 years of global work experience including UNESCO (as National Programme Officer), All India Artisans & Craftworkers Association (as Executive Director), and as advisor for CSRs. She has extensive experience in programme design, development and management, and policy research and advocacy, focusing on Culture and Development issues. She has a PhD from the School of Media and Cultural Studies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Mumbai), and MA degrees in Sustainable Development under a Commonwealth Scholarship (Staffordshire University, UK) and Sociology (Calcutta University). She is also a freelance writer.

Saba Samee has a Masters in the Archaeology of Buildings from the University of York, UK. Her undergraduate degree is in B. Architecture from the National College of Arts, Lahore. She is currently employed at the Institute for Art and Culture – IAC, Lahore, where she serves as an Associate Professor and Coordinator for the School of Culture and Language. \n\nShe has received numerous trainings with UNESCO, ICCROM and UNITAR in conservation, heritage management and WHS nominations. As part of THAAP team, she has worked extensively in projects awarded by UNESCO, UKAID, MEDA-USAID, Norway and Dutch funding agencies, gaining experience in conservation and mapping built heritage. She is experienced in working on conserving the WHS sites of Lahore Fort and Makli, as part of the Heritage Foundation of Pakistan team. Internationally, she has acquired conservation experience in Spain as part of the DIADRASIS team. As part of the IAC Research team, she has conducted diverse research initiatives, such as projects regarding development through culture, poverty alleviation and community empowerment through cultural and creative industries, and plans regarding integrated heritage site management. \n\nMs. Samee has presented research papers in diverse national and international conferences and is a published author of a number of research papers, book chapters, and articles. Her research interest focuses on the relationship and values of People associated with their Places.

Prof. Danilo Pesce is Assistant Professor at Politecnico di Torino (Italy) and visiting scholar at the Business School, City, University of London. His research interests are mainly focused on the organizational and industry-level changes triggered by digital technologies adoption in the cultural heritage sector.

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