Cooperation with International Organizations (UNESCO,UNU)

January 20, 2023
Japanese

Upon hearing the term Cultural Heritage, images of buildings, temples and other relics tend to come to mind, but intangible cultural heritage such as language, music, dance, craft technique and ritual and festive events must not be forgotten. Intangible cultural heritage is the emblem of the spiritual culture of the many different peoples of the world, and at the same time, is an important legacy shared by all of mankind. There has been active discussion in the global community on recognition and respect for the diversity of culture in this age of globalization. In particular, the importance of safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage that comprises the roots of each people's cultural identity has especially been gaining attention around the world.

Intangible cultural heritage cannot be recovered once it has been lost. In Africa there is a saying that when an elder dies, a library burns. In recent years, due to the aging of practitioners and the lack of successors for their arts and crafts, a great amount of Intangible Cultural Heritage is facing the danger of extinction. Urgent steps must be taken to preserve and promote intangible heritage.

In 1993, Japan established “Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage” with UNESCO, and by 2017, it has contributed 16.69 million USD and implemented more than 100 projects in the world. (It was integrated to “Japan’s Contributions to UNESCO” in 2018.)

In addition to creating an atlas of the world's languages in danger of disappearing (a project to preserve language), Japan has been working on various individual projects to preserve intangible cultural heritage. These projects cover topics such as the preservation of the Kutiyattam Sanskrit theatre in India and bark cloth making in Uganda. Japan has taken a lead in the creation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which went into effect in 2006. It has also been supporting the development of domestic institutions for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in Oceania, a region rich in Intangible Cultural Heritage, to encourage those countries to join the Convention. Japan carries out projects to help the States that have ratified the Convention implement it fully.

As the Intangible Cultural Heritage eligible for safeguarding efforts is often inherited by minorities, Japan -- in cooperation with UNESCO, and by respecting the wishes of the governments of the relevant countries -- carries out efforts to ensure the survival of Intangible Cultural Heritage into the future.

UNESCO Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage

Completed Projects

  Name of the project Place Period
1 Support to the effective implementation of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Nigeria Nigeria July 2018 - July 2020
2 Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage through the Strengthening of National Capacities in Asia and the Pacific (Phase 2)  Fiji, Laos, Mongolia, Samoa, Sri Lanka April 2015 - October 2017
3 Strengthening capacities to safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage in Ecuador  Ecuador  April 2015 - July 2017
4 Strengthening national capacity for effective safeguarding of ICH (Phase 2) UNESCO March 2015 - March 2016
5 Transfer to Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund (Phase 2)  UNESCO March 2015
6 Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Traditional Medicine Kallawaya Bolivia  March 2007
7 Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage of Belize, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago through strengthening their capacities for the implementation of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Belize, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago June 2012 - December 2015
8 Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage of Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay through strengthening their capacities for implementing the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay June 2012 - March 2014
9 Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage through the Strengthening of National Capacities in Asia and the Pacific Bhutan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal, PNG, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste November 2011 - December 2015
10 Strengthening national capacity for effective safeguarding of ICH (Phase 1)  UNESCO June 2011 - July 2014
11 Transfer to Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund (Phase 1)  UNESCO June 2011
12 Photographic documentation of Intangible Heritage  in Kenya Kenya September 2009 - December 2012
13 Preparation of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on Operational Directives of the 2003 Convention France March 2010
14 Safeguarding traditional foodways of two communities in Kenya Kenya September 2009 - December 2012
15 Organization of a series of national consultation meetings on the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in five Pacific countries Palau, Cook Islands, 3 other countries July 2009 - June 2011
16 Baul Songs Bangladesh October 2008 - October 2010
17 Organization of a sub-regional capacity building workshop in the Pacific and a national consultation meeting in Tonga on the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage  Tonga, 17 other countries in Oceania October 2008 - May 2009
19 Safeguarding of Cimboa Cabo Verde  June 2008 - March 2011
18 Inventory  of Intangible Cultural Heritage  and their bearers in Burundi, Organizations of Promotional activities Burundi June 2008 - July 2009
20 Action Plan for the Identification and Promotion of the Sacred Songs of the Voodoo Cult of the lakou Dereal  Haiti May 2008 - February 2010
21 Safeguarding Traditional Somali Performing Arts  Kenya, Somalia April 2008 - September 2009
22 Organization of a consultation workshop in Papua New Guinea on the ratification of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Papua New Guinea, 17 other countries in Oceania March 2008 - December 2008
23 Safeguarding the Songs of the Moon, traditional Swahili music from Tanzania (Unguja and Pemba) and the Comoros  Tanzania (Zanzibar), Comoros February 2008 - February 2009
24 Organization of a Sub-regional Meeting in the Pacific for the Promotion of Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fiji October 2007 - July 2008
25 Barkcloth Making in Uganda Uganda September 2007 - August 2009
26 El Güegüense  Nicaragua April 2007 - December 2009
27 The Batammariba of Koutammarkou Togo April 2007 - June 2009
28 Photo Exhibition all around the world “Living Heritage： Exploring the Intangible”  UNESCO  February 2007 - August 2008
29 Albanian Folk Iso-Polyphony Albania December 2006 - March 2010
30 The Mbende Jerusarema Dance Zimbabwe December 2006 - December 2009
31 Taquile and its Textile Art Peru December 2006 - June 2009
32 Traditional Games of the Afar and the Somali people in the Horn of Africa Djibouti December 2006 - March 2009
33 The Ifa Divination System Nigeria November 2006 - June 2011
34 The Kankurang, Manding initiatory rite Gambia, Senegal November 2006 - March 2011
35 The Chopi Timbila tradition Mozambique November 2006 - December 2009
36 The Vimbuza Healing Dance  Malawi November 2006 - December 2009
37 The Gule Wamkulu Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia November 2006 - December 2009
38 The Mask Dance of the Drametse Ngacham Bhutan November 2006 - August 2009
39 The Duduk and its Music Armenia November 2006 - April 2009
40 The Cultural Space of the Yaaral and Degal Mali November 2006 - April 2009
41 The Makishi Masquerade Zambia October 2006 - December 2009
42 Oral and Graphic Expressions of the Wajapi Brazil July 2006 - September 2008
43 Garifuna Language, Music and Dance Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua April 2006 - June 2009
44 The Song of Sana’a  Yemen March 2006 - January 2009
45 Azerbaijani Mugham   Azerbaijan January 2006 - September 2011
46 Indigenous Language Revitalization and Preservation in Melanesia and the Pacific（Phase 2）  Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu January 2006 - October 2009
47 The Royal Ballet of Cambodia Cambodia November 2005 - December 2008
48 La Tumba Francesa Cuba June 2005 - August 2008
49 Carnival de Oruro  Bolivia April 2005 - October 2011
50 The Cultural Space of the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit of the Congos of Villa Mella  Dominican Republic April 2005 - December 2009
51 Vanuatu Sand Drawings Vanuatu March 2005 - July 2008
52 The Art of Akyns, Kyrgyz Epic Tellers Kyrgyzstan  February 2005 - October 2009
53 The Safeguarding of the Carnival of Barranquilla Colombia January 2005 - April 2009
54 Nha Nhac, Vietnamese Court Music  Viet Nam January 2005 - March 2009
55 The Lakalaka, Dances and Sung Speeches of Tonga Tonga January 2005 - December 2008
56 Preparatory and follow-up activities for the Third Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity － January 2005 - November 2007
57 Shashmaqom Music Tajikistan, Uzbekistan January 2005 - October 2007
58 The Woodcrafting Knowledge of the Zafimaniry Madagascar December 2004 - September 2008
59 The Polyphonic Singing of the Aka Pygmies of Central Africa  Central African Republic, Republic of Congo December 2004 - July 2008
60 The Wayang Puppet Theatre Indonesia December 2004 - November 2007
61 The Traditional Music of the Morin Khuur Mongolia September 2004 - September 2007
62 Traditional Money Banks in Vanuatu Vanuatu July 2004 - January 2007
63 Lithuanian Cross - Crafting and its Symbolism Lithuania April 2004 - July 2005
64 The Cultural Space of Jamaa el-Fna Square Morocco March 2004 - December 2008
65 Kutiyattam, Sanskrit Theatre India January 2004 - February 2007
66 The Oral Heritage of Gelede Benin, Nigeria, Togo October 2003 - December 2007
67 Georgian Traditional Polyphony Georgia July 2003 - November 2006
68 Public Awareness Campaign in Colombia On the Importance of Safeguarding the Oral and Intangible Heritage  Colombia July 2003 - September 2005
69 The Cultural Space of Boysun District  Uzbekistan May 2003 - June 2006
70 The Hudhud chants of the Ifugao Philippines May 2003 - April 2008
71 Preliminary draft convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage (Phase 2 ) France February 2003
72 The Oral and Intangible Heritage of the Zapara Community Peru, Ecuador January 2003 - September 2007
73 "Follow-up to the Blue of Samarkand" Project: National Inventory Revival of the Traditional Ceramics of Uzbekistan  Uzbekistan January 2003 - May 2007
74 Preparatory Activities for the Second Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity (Phase 2 ) France January 2003 - December 2004
75 Creating a Multimedia Database of Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity（Phase 1）  UNESCO (Countries concerned: India, China, Morocco, Georgia, Belize [Honduras, Nicaragua]) December 2002 - December 2005
76 Preliminary draft convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage (Phase 1 ) France December 2002 - March 2003
77 The Kun Qu Opera  China May 2002 - December 2004
78 The Cultural Space of Sosso-Bala Guinea January 2002 - January 2008
79 International Meeting of Experts on Intangible Cultural Heritage, (January 22-24, 2002)  Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) December 2001 - December 2003
80 2001 Regional Seminar for Cultural Personnel in Asia and the Pacific on "Proclamation of Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" Japan (Tokyo) September 2001 - April 2002
81 Awareness raising for the project "Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity France (Paris) September 2001 - April 2002
82 Training Course for the System Entitled "Living Human Treasure" Philippines, Japan (Tokyo) September 2001 - March 2001
83 Establishing of a National Inventory of the Performing Arts of Bhutan Bhutan May 2001 - December 2004
84 Artisans of Southeast  Asia : Symposium ,Workshop and Exhibition  for the Preservation and Inheritance of Traditional Textile Making Skills Japan (Osaka, Kyoto) March 2001 - April 2001
85 National Programme for the Safeguarding and Development of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Lithuania Lithuania September 2000 - September 2001
86 Rehabilitation of the Performing Arts in Cambodia Cambodia August 2000 - August 2001
87 Revised Edition of the Atlas of the World's languages in Danger of Disappearing    August 2000 - April 2001
88 Workshop on Transmission of the Traditional Technique of Costume-making of the Miao /Hmong people China July 2000 - July 2002
89 Indigenous Languages : Revitalization and Preservation in Melanesia and the Pacific (Phase 1 ) Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu June 2000 - February 2003
90 Preparatory Activities for the Second Proclamation of Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity (Phase 1 ) Spain (Elche) June 2000 - October 2001
91 Symposium on Revitalization of Traditional Ceramic Techniques in Central Asia "Blue of Samarkand"  Uzbekistan September 1999 - July 2000
92 Safeguarding of Mongolian Intangible Cultural Heritage, Audio-visual Documentation of the Oral Heritage  Mongolia August 1999 - May 2002
93 World Survey on Application of the Recommendation adopted in 1989 on the Safeguarding of Traditional Culture and Folklore  United States of America
(Washington D.C.)		 June 1999
94 The Festival and Symposium of the Central Asian Epic  Mongolia August 1997
95 Regional Workshop on East Asian Lacquerware Myanmar July 1997 - December 2000
96 Publication of a Book on 47 Minorities Ethnic Groups  Laos  July 1997 - December 2000
97 Publication of a Book on 53 Ethnic Groups in Viet Nam  Viet Nam July 1997 - December 2000
98 Publication of a Book on East Asia Lacquerware Myanmar July 1997
99 International Expert Meeting for the Safeguarding and Promoting of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Minority Groups of the Lao People's Democratic Republic  Laos  October 1996
100 Regional Workshop of East Asian Lacquerware Myanmar February 1996
101 The International Conference for Preservation and Promotion of Traditional Culture in East Asia  Japan (Tokyo) September 1995
102 Follow-up of the International Expert Group Meeting of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Viet Nam (Publication of a book entitled The Sedang of Viet Nam)  Viet Nam 1995 - 1998
103 International Expert Group Meeting on the Safeguarding and Promotion of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Viet Nam  Viet Nam March 1994
104 Protection and Promotion of Minority Chinese Nationalities' Fork Tales, Poems and Other Nonphysical Cultural Heritage in Danger of Extinction China 1994 - December 2003
105 Preservation of Traditional Chinese Folk Tales, Poems and other Intangible Cultural Heritage  China 1994 - 1998
106 Publication of the Atlas of the world’s languages in danger     1994 - 1996
107 International Expert Group Meeting on the Safeguarding and Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage UNESCO  June 1993
Back to Cooperation with International Organizations (UNESCO,UNU)