It's not just a story of a young man, but a story of mine and a group of friends about paper-cut.\n\nMy first memory about paper-cut in childhood is the paper-cut for window decoration and Fu (lucky) character paper-cut. I was born in an artistic family, where grandma and grandpa are the inheritors of a national intangible cultural heritage. Thus, from childhood I yearned for art and beauty very much. When five years old, I began to follow my grandma, held a pair of scissors and hollowed out a picture on a piece of red paper. In the end, a lovely rabbit stood vividly as revealed on the paper. Even though my action was clumsy and the work was not exquisite, my grandmother was very pleased with my love for traditional art. After years of exercise, I gradually learned to cut cornflower, shoe flower, regiment flower, and other complex patterns of works. Every Chinese New Year, my family sits together, singing operas, writing calligraphy, and creating many festive paper-cuts as New Year gifts to relatives and friends. When my paper-cut is praised and loved by them, it deepens my love for the traditional art of paper-cut and stimulates my enthusiasm in learning it.\n\nWith gradual growth, I realized that paper-cut as intangible cultural heritage was facing the risk of loss. Fortunately, the country and even the whole world have paid more attention to the traditional culture and gave great help to the inheritors. However, as a teenager who loves traditional art, I should do something for saving it. Then I called my friends to learn making paper-cut together. Taking the principle of disseminating and inheriting paper-cut culture into consideration, my grandma set up a paper-cut class which was free of charge and available to everyone. From the scale of only a few people to dozens of people, more and more man who love paper-cut, including young people, kids and their parents, participate in this activity. We created, exercised and participated paper-cut competitions and exhibitions together. Gradually, more people came into contact with paper-cut and passed on this art.\n\nNow I have entered the university and have more free time and ways to learn and disseminate the art of paper-cut. In the summer social practice activities in 2018, I led more than ten students back to my hometown, Binzhou, Shandong Province, to conduct a systematic survey of paper-cut art. After interviewing four paper-cutting inheritors including my grandmother, the students also learned the paper-cut skills from them and created a series of paper-cut which was our school—— Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s architecture. At the same time, we also went into a kindergarten to help the pupils learn paper-cut. When I saw the eagerness for learning paper-cut in their eyes, I seemed to return to the first time I got scissors and felt excited beyond my words and was proud of my contribution to help my grandmother disseminate the art of paper-cut continuously. In order to better protect and promote the works, our practice members also made postcards of the paper-cut for the school, as creative cultural products loved by students and teachers. What’s more, this series of postcards become gifts as a microcosm of the school and even Chinese culture to exchange with universities in China and other countries.\n\nAs young people in the new era, bred in the precious cultural heritage left by the wise ancients, facing the impact of fashion culture and the risk of heritage loss, we should think about the inheritance and innovation of these cultures. My grandma once picked up a lot of fallen leaves when she was walking on the roadside, and carefully figured out their shapes and drew them as paper-cut patterns. In her eyes, there is no absolute consistency among all things in the world. Even the expression of leaf patterns on paper-cut has thousands of ways. People need to observe and think about the world carefully and then try to make these ideas become works of art. The changes between them may be the cultural power given to human beings. \n\nOut of love for ICH, in the previous summer vacation, I participated in a research project on ICH in southwest China organized by the school, whose purpose is to produce some creative products to help local people get rid of poverty. The destination is Guizhou, a gathering place of minority nationalities. I am very gratified to see that Miao children are still learning embroidery and silver ornaments with national characteristics. When interviewing the administrator of thousands of Miao stockade tourist attractions, I asked her how she viewed the inheritance of local non-heritage culture. She said that there are two ways: one is education, which means to let ICH into schools and children have more contact with such culture; the other is commercialization, on the basis of non-legacy culture to create cultural products adapting to the times. In the end, people can’t only get benefits but also better spread ethnic culture. The same is true for paper-cut. While retaining the essence of paper-cut, innovation to adapt to the times is the best inheritance, like Mr. Geng, one of the inheritors of Binzhou paper-cut, who applied the paper-cut elements to blue printed cloth which could make clothes and then sold them everywhere. Commercial operation not only brings him considerable income, but also promotes the culture of paper-cut.\n\nAs an undergraduate student, my strength is still very weak, but I hope that through my continuous learning of art, communication, and other professional knowledge, I can make great efforts to promote and innovate the ICH in my hometown. On this way, I can also meet more like-minded young partners, gathering and struggling together, continuing to carry forward this valuable traditional culture.

It's not just a story of a young man, but a story of mine and a group of friends about paper-cut.\n\nMy first memory about paper-cut in childhood is the paper-cut for window decoration and Fu (lucky) character paper-cut. I was born in an artistic family, where grandma and grandpa are the inheritors of a national intangible cultural heritage. Thus, from childhood I yearned for art and beauty very much. When five years old, I began to follow my grandma, held a pair of scissors and hollowed out a picture on a piece of red paper. In the end, a lovely rabbit stood vividly as revealed on the paper. Even though my action was clumsy and the work was not exquisite, my grandmother was very pleased with my love for traditional art. After years of exercise, I gradually learned to cut cornflower, shoe flower, regiment flower, and other complex patterns of works. Every Chinese New Year, my family sits together, singing operas, writing calligraphy, and creating many festive paper-cuts as New Year gifts to relatives and friends. When my paper-cut is praised and loved by them, it deepens my love for the traditional art of paper-cut and stimulates my enthusiasm in learning it.\n\nWith gradual growth, I realized that paper-cut as intangible cultural heritage was facing the risk of loss. Fortunately, the country and even the whole world have paid more attention to the traditional culture and gave great help to the inheritors. However, as a teenager who loves traditional art, I should do something for saving it. Then I called my friends to learn making paper-cut together. Taking the principle of disseminating and inheriting paper-cut culture into consideration, my grandma set up a paper-cut class which was free of charge and available to everyone. From the scale of only a few people to dozens of people, more and more man who love paper-cut, including young people, kids and their parents, participate in this activity. We created, exercised and participated paper-cut competitions and exhibitions together. Gradually, more people came into contact with paper-cut and passed on this art.\n\nNow I have entered the university and have more free time and ways to learn and disseminate the art of paper-cut. In the summer social practice activities in 2018, I led more than ten students back to my hometown, Binzhou, Shandong Province, to conduct a systematic survey of paper-cut art. After interviewing four paper-cutting inheritors including my grandmother, the students also learned the paper-cut skills from them and created a series of paper-cut which was our school—— Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s architecture. At the same time, we also went into a kindergarten to help the pupils learn paper-cut. When I saw the eagerness for learning paper-cut in their eyes, I seemed to return to the first time I got scissors and felt excited beyond my words and was proud of my contribution to help my grandmother disseminate the art of paper-cut continuously. In order to better protect and promote the works, our practice members also made postcards of the paper-cut for the school, as creative cultural products loved by students and teachers. What’s more, this series of postcards become gifts as a microcosm of the school and even Chinese culture to exchange with universities in China and other countries.\n\nAs young people in the new era, bred in the precious cultural heritage left by the wise ancients, facing the impact of fashion culture and the risk of heritage loss, we should think about the inheritance and innovation of these cultures. My grandma once picked up a lot of fallen leaves when she was walking on the roadside, and carefully figured out their shapes and drew them as paper-cut patterns. In her eyes, there is no absolute consistency among all things in the world. Even the expression of leaf patterns on paper-cut has thousands of ways. People need to observe and think about the world carefully and then try to make these ideas become works of art. The changes between them may be the cultural power given to human beings. \n\nOut of love for ICH, in the previous summer vacation, I participated in a research project on ICH in southwest China organized by the school, whose purpose is to produce some creative products to help local people get rid of poverty. The destination is Guizhou, a gathering place of minority nationalities. I am very gratified to see that Miao children are still learning embroidery and silver ornaments with national characteristics. When interviewing the administrator of thousands of Miao stockade tourist attractions, I asked her how she viewed the inheritance of local non-heritage culture. She said that there are two ways: one is education, which means to let ICH into schools and children have more contact with such culture; the other is commercialization, on the basis of non-legacy culture to create cultural products adapting to the times. In the end, people can’t only get benefits but also better spread ethnic culture. The same is true for paper-cut. While retaining the essence of paper-cut, innovation to adapt to the times is the best inheritance, like Mr. Geng, one of the inheritors of Binzhou paper-cut, who applied the paper-cut elements to blue printed cloth which could make clothes and then sold them everywhere. Commercial operation not only brings him considerable income, but also promotes the culture of paper-cut.\n\nAs an undergraduate student, my strength is still very weak, but I hope that through my continuous learning of art, communication, and other professional knowledge, I can make great efforts to promote and innovate the ICH in my hometown. On this way, I can also meet more like-minded young partners, gathering and struggling together, continuing to carry forward this valuable traditional culture.

Sau-Batar is one of Timor-Leste’s most cherished agricultural ceremonies, marking the successful harvesting of corn—batar, the staple crop that lies at the heart of both sustenance and spiritual life for many communities. Far more than an agricultural routine, this ritual reflects a worldview where nature, ancestors, and community are deeply intertwined.\n\nThe ceremony typically begins with a symbolic act called “taking out the old corn and bringing in the new.” This signifies a transition between agricultural cycles and expresses gratitude to the spirits of the land for their blessings. Families gather at their sacred houses (uma lulik), bringing both harvested corn and cooked rice to share in a ritual meal that reaffirms communal bonds.\n\nCentral to the ritual is the lia-nain—a customary elder responsible for oral tradition and ritual practice—who recites prayers, chants, and invocations handed down through generations. These words are not merely spoken; they are believed to activate ancestral protection and ensure future abundance. The corn offered during the ceremony becomes sacred, often preserved in specially designated granaries or placed on altars within the sacred house as a gesture of respect to the ancestors.\n\nMusic and dance are vital parts of Sau-Batar. Performances of Tebe Lilin (Candle Dance) and other local dances transform the occasion into a festive gathering, where movement and rhythm mirror the unity and joy of a successful harvest. The babadok drum keeps the beat as men and women, elders and children, participate in a shared expression of thanks and renewal.\n\nThe ceremony also involves the symbolic sharing of corn among relatives and neighbors, emphasizing that harvest is not an individual achievement but a collective gift. In some cases, leftover corn from the previous season is burned or ceremonially discarded to make room for the new yield, representing a fresh start and spiritual cleansing.\n\nBeyond its religious and social meanings, Sau-Batar also serves as a moment of informal education. It is during this event that younger generations hear the stories of how rituals are performed, why they matter, and what each gesture or offering means. Through active participation, children and youth absorb the knowledge of land stewardship, spiritual ethics, and cultural identity.\n\nIn recent years, as commercial farming methods expand and traditional schedules shift, Sau-Batar has faced challenges. Yet in many rural areas, the ceremony continues to be practiced with dedication, often with support from local schools and cultural preservation initiatives.\n\nFor the communities that uphold it, Sau-Batar remains a vital link between past and present, the visible and the invisible, and the land and its people. It is a ceremony not just of harvest, but of harmony—a living tradition that continues to nourish both body and spirit.

Urtiin Duu is a traditional form of musical expression of the nomadic Mongols. As the slow pace, wide-ranging melody and poetic, philosophical text of the songs express values instilled by the vast, peaceful natural landscape where the nomads live, the Urtiin Duu can be considered as a manifestation of the nomadic spirit, while its composition and performance are directly associated with cycles of the nomadic lifestyles. It serves as a variety of cultural functions, in occasions for social gathering, entertainment and artistic production, community rituals such as weddings, new ger warming feasts, birth of a child, the completion of felt-making, the production of the first airag (fermented mare’s milk). Mongolian long songs are classified in three major styles: Aizam urtiin duu (rhythmic long song), Jiriin urtiin duu (typical long song) and Besreg urtiin duu (short long song). Urtiin Duu-Traditional Folk Long Song was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008.

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) is transnational in nature. It is necessary to spread the perception that ICH transcends geographical spaces and national borders, creating dynamic relations, connectedness, and continuity, which is why it is a timeless bearer of cultural diversity, the foundation of the heritage of humanity. However, as the modern structure of nation-state determines the boundaries of culture with national borders, forming the concept of “culture within the country”, subsequently led to the perception that the ownership of culture belongs to the state.\n\nThe concept of exclusive ownership of culture is often controversial in the UNESCO listing process, particularly in instances where cultural heritage and cultural domains have been shared for a long time by two or more nation-states. Such conflicts lead to excessive competition for nomination, overshadowing UNESCO’s fundamental purpose of contributing to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations, as well as the very spirit of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage that promotes international cooperation and assistance in the safeguarding of ICH as a matter of general interest to humanity.\n\nConsequently, UNESCO encourages multinational inscriptions of shared intangible cultural heritage to promote regional cooperation and international safeguarding activities, preventing conflicts among countries and coping with already existing ones. By emphasizing joint nominations of shared ICH, UNESCO revised its implementation guidelines three times to deal with conflicts between countries due to the cultural property rights. In addition, States Parties are encouraged to develop networks among relevant communities, experts, professional centres, and research institutes, particularly with regard to their ICH, to cooperate at the sub-regional and regional levels.\n\nAt the 13th Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in the Republic of Mauritius in November 2018, Traditional Korean Wrestling was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity as the first joint designation by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Republic of Korea. This milestone in the life of the Convention demonstrates that ICH contributes to the peace-building, reconciliation, mutual understanding, and solidarity among peoples. Indeed, only when acknowledging that shared cultural values are empowering characteristics of ICH, the true perspective of the unifying agent of the cultural diversity can be achieved, and that it is the cornerstone of reaching peace among nations.\n\nCountries in the Asia Pacific region are deeply connected by a long history of interactions, exchanges, flows of people, goods, and ideas that have shaped shared values, practices, and traditions. Having a balanced view, advocating for cultural diversity, and recognizing the commonalities among individuals, communities, and countries as a strength are virtuous tenets in the present time.\n\nIn this regard, APHEN-ICH Secretariat, ICHCAP, and UNESCO Bangkok Office are inviting the APHEN-ICH member institutes and public to this seminar under the theme of Diversity and Distinctiveness: Looking into the Shared ICH in the Asia-Pacific, to re-assess that while fragile, intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity, connecting bounds, and enhancing international dialogue and peace.

On 12 and 13 November 2020, ICHCAP and the ICH NGO Forum virtually held the 2020 ICH NGO Conference entitled “ICH and Resilience in Crisis.” The fifteen participants, including eleven selected presenters from ten countries around the world, discussed various cases and activities of each country applied under the Corona-era, and proposed solidarity for the resilience of ICH for a ‘New Normal.’\n\nSession 1: In the Vortex: COVID-19 Era, Roles of NGOs to Safeguard ICH\n\nSpecial Lecture 1: 'Resilience System Analysis' by Roberto Martinez Yllescas, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Mexico\n1. 'Uncovering the veil of immaterial cultural heritage towards and autonomous management of well-being as well as cultural and territorial preservation' by Carolina Bermúdez, Fundación Etnollano\n2. 'Holistic Development Model of Community-Based Intangible Cultural Heritage of Yuen Long District in Hong Kong of China' by Kai-kwong Choi, Life Encouraging Fund \n3. 'Indigenous Knowledge System as a vector in combating COVID-19' by Allington Ndlovu, Amagugu International Heritage Centre\n4. 'Enlivening Dyeing Tradition and ICH: The initiative of ARHI in North East of India' by Dibya Jyoti Borah, President, ARHI\n\nSession 2: Homo Ludens vs. Home Ludens: Changed Features COVID-19 Brought\n\n1. 'The Popular Reaction to COVID-19 from the Intangible Cultural Heritage among Member Cities of the ICCN' by Julio Nacher, ICCN Secretariat, Algemesi, Spain\n2. 'Innovation for Arts and Cultural Education Amid a Pandemic' by Jeff M. Poulin, Creative Generation\n3. 'Promoting Heritage Education through Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Kalasha Valleys of Pakistan' by Ghiasuddin Pir & Meeza Ubaid, THAAP\n4. 'Shifting to Online Activities: Digital Divide among the NGOs and ICH Communities in Korea' by Hanhee Hahm CICS\n\nSession 3: Consilience: Prototype vs. Archetype for Educational Source\n\nSpecial Lecture 2: 'Geographical imbalance: the challenge of getting a more balanced representation of accredited non-governmental organizations under the 2003 Convention' by Matti Hakamäki, Finnish Folk Music Institute\n1. 'Crafting a Post Covid-19 World: Building Greater Resilience in the Crafts Sector through Strengthening Ties with its Community’s Cultural System' by Joseph Lo, World Crafts Council International\n2. 'Arts and Influence: Untangling Corporate Engagement in the Cultural Sector' by Nicholas Pozek, Asian Legal Programs, Columbia University\n3. 'ICH in the South-Western Alps: Empowering Communities through Youth Education on Nature and Cultural Practices' by Alessio Re & Giulia Avanza, Santagata Foundation for the Economy of Culture\n\n

In 2015, ICHCAP with the National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO and the Fine Arts Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan released the CD collection Melodies from Uzbekistan as part of its cooperation project to restore and digitize analogue resources on ICH.\n\nThis selection of audio resources are aged audio recordings stored at the Fine Arts Institute of the Academy of Sciences that have been restored and converted into a format suitable for storage and playback in media used today. The audio tracks in the collection consist of folk music recorded from field research conducted in Uzbekistan and border regions from the 1950s to the 1980s as well as studio recordings made from the 1930s to the 1970s. The eight CDs contain Uzbek songs related to work, animal rearing, rituals, and other important parts of day-to-day life in the region; instrumental music featuring various traditional Uzbek musical instruments, such as the dutor and g'ajir nay; and important Islamic oral traditions, such as maqoms and dostons.\n\nAlthough the traditional music of Central Asia may be unfamiliar to listeners from other parts of the world, the CDs come with information booklets in Uzbek, English, and Korean to provide an engaging experience for people from outside the region.\nThe selection represents the diverse and rich musical traditions of Uzbekistan and will be invaluable resources in the field of ICH education and promotion.

In 2015, ICHCAP with the National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO and the Fine Arts Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan released the CD collection Melodies from Uzbekistan as part of its cooperation project to restore and digitize analogue resources on ICH.\n\nThis selection of audio resources are aged audio recordings stored at the Fine Arts Institute of the Academy of Sciences that have been restored and converted into a format suitable for storage and playback in media used today. The audio tracks in the collection consist of folk music recorded from field research conducted in Uzbekistan and border regions from the 1950s to the 1980s as well as studio recordings made from the 1930s to the 1970s. The eight CDs contain Uzbek songs related to work, animal rearing, rituals, and other important parts of day-to-day life in the region; instrumental music featuring various traditional Uzbek musical instruments, such as the dutor and g'ajir nay; and important Islamic oral traditions, such as maqoms and dostons.\n\nAlthough the traditional music of Central Asia may be unfamiliar to listeners from other parts of the world, the CDs come with information booklets in Uzbek, English, and Korean to provide an engaging experience for people from outside the region.\nThe selection represents the diverse and rich musical traditions of Uzbekistan and will be invaluable resources in the field of ICH education and promotion.

In 2015, ICHCAP with the National Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan for UNESCO and the Fine Arts Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan released the CD collection Melodies from Uzbekistan as part of its cooperation project to restore and digitize analogue resources on ICH.\n\nThis selection of audio resources are aged audio recordings stored at the Fine Arts Institute of the Academy of Sciences that have been restored and converted into a format suitable for storage and playback in media used today. The audio tracks in the collection consist of folk music recorded from field research conducted in Uzbekistan and border regions from the 1950s to the 1980s as well as studio recordings made from the 1930s to the 1970s. The eight CDs contain Uzbek songs related to work, animal rearing, rituals, and other important parts of day-to-day life in the region; instrumental music featuring various traditional Uzbek musical instruments, such as the dutor and g'ajir nay; and important Islamic oral traditions, such as maqoms and dostons.\n\nAlthough the traditional music of Central Asia may be unfamiliar to listeners from other parts of the world, the CDs come with information booklets in Uzbek, English, and Korean to provide an engaging experience for people from outside the region.\nThe selection represents the diverse and rich musical traditions of Uzbekistan and will be invaluable resources in the field of ICH education and promotion.

Lialiaci is a publication of the iTaukei Institute of Language and Culture, Ministry of iTaukei Affairs.\nLialiaci means to ponder or reflect upon deeply. That is the intent of these articles and perspectives on culture. \n\nThe Vanua Spirituality will attempt to explain the ancient spirituality of the indigenous people of Fiji. Indigenous spirituality is important because it describes in totality the significance of the Vanua, its worldview and vanua ethos. \n\nFijian Bread; The people of Qoma are fisherfolk, and part of their traditional role is the presentation of turtle accompanied with a basket of Fijian bread 'madrainiviti' to the chief of Verata and Dawasamu. Before the introduction of wheat bread in Fiji, their ancestors were enjoying traditional bread made out of fermented root crops.\n\nThe five Cultural Protected Water Body (CPWB) Types in Fiji; A total of five CPWB were found to be practiced in Fiji.\n

ICH Courier is the quarterly magazine on ICH in the Asia-Pacific region issued by ICHCAP since 2009. Every issue has its own theme under the title of the Windows to ICH, and the theme of the Vol 15 is 'ORAL TRADITIONS AND PRACTICES RELATED TO SNAKES.'