The Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), along with The Foundation for the Preservation of Cultural Properties (FPCP), held an opening ceremony for the Establishment Initiative for the Intangible Heritage Centre for Asia-Pacific (EIIHCAP) on December 20^th, 2006.

The ceremony was held at the EIIHCAP office in the National Palace Museum of Korea and attended by intangible cultural heritage experts from home and abroad including Richard Engelhardt, Cultural Advisor of UNESCO Asia-Pacific Office, and Pratap Parameswaran, Coordinator for Culture and Information of ASEAN Secretariat. The opening of the EIIHCAP is expected to boost the Asia-Pacific countries’ interest in the preservation of the intangible cultural heritage and serve as an opportunity for Korea to affirm its will to establish an Asia-Pacific Intangible Heritage Center (APIHC) in the country.

The intangible cultural heritage (ICH), the source of cultural diversity and human creativity, is facing an increasing danger of deterioration and disappearance due to various factors such as rapid industrialization and globalization, thus creating an urgent need for its safeguarding. Korea is widely recognized as an advanced country in terms of ICH safeguarding: since the enactment of the Cultural Heritage Protection Act in 1962 Korea has made its utmost efforts to protect and safeguard the intangible cultural heritage. Also in 1993, at Korea’s suggestion, UNESCO adopted the Living Human Treasures system. With a view to promoting the ICH safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific region based on its accumulated experiences from the operation of the ICH safeguarding system, Korea has been discussing with the UNSECO Secretariat the establishment of an APIHC in the nation. As a result, an agreement has been reached on the establishment of the “Funds-in-Trust for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region” (FIT) between Korea and UNESCO on November 21^st, 2006.

The Funds-in-Trust financed by the Korean government will be used for preparatory survey to advise on modalities for the creation of an APIHC in Korea and joint projects to be conducted by Korea and UNESCO to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage of the region. The newly-opened EIIHCAP will be actively engaged in this FIT projects.

The APIHC will be established under the auspices of UNESCO in order to implement the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage which entered into force in April 2006 and support the ICH safeguarding in the Asia-Pacific region.

A. Objectives of the EIIHCAP
► To enhance the role and image of Korea as a leader in the ICH safeguarding and position the nation as an international hub for ICH education and research;
► To boost the image of Korea as a cultural power by increasing its contribution to the ICH safeguarding in the region.

B. History
► Mar. 2004: the Korean government, more specifically the Cultural Heritage Administration, decided to exert itself to establish an APIHC in the nation;
► Apr. 2004: the CHA submitted an proposal for the APIHC establishment to UNESCO;
► Aug. 2004 -: the CHA and UNESCO reached a consensus on the articles of the Funds-in-Trust Agreement;
► Oct. 2004: the CHA Administrator met with the Vice-Director General of UNESCO;
► Oct. 2005: the Korean representative made a proposal for the APIHC establishment at the 33^rd General Assembly of UNESCO;
► Sep. 2006: the EIIHCAP was inaugurated under the FPCP in Korea;
► Nov. 2006: Korea and UNESCO concluded the Funds-in-Trust Agreement.


C. APIHC’s Activities
► Digitalization and documentation of the ICH of the Asia-Pacific region: to select appropriate digitalization technologies (e.g. audio, video, photo and musical score) by  intangible heritage type and item, and record the heritage accordingly;
► Creation of an ICH database: to accumulate related information such as ICH practitioners and items and create a database;
► Acting as an information center: to serve as an information center to promote and safeguard the ICH of the Asia-Pacific region

- to make available the accumulated records and database on the intangible cultural heritage and create an internet portal;
- to conduct research and exchange information on the promotion and safeguarding of the ICH and create education/training programs.

D. APIHC’s International Standing
► The centre is expected to be a category II organization under the auspices of UNESCO;
► Category II centers are entities which are not legally part of UNESCO, but are associated with it through formal arrangements approved by the General Conference. These centers contribute to the execution of UNESCO’s programs.

E. Future Plan
► Dec. 2006 – May 2007: UNESCO Secretariat will conduct a preparatory survey on the establishment of the APIHC.

The Cultural Heritage Administration established the EIIHCAP under the FPCP in September 2006 with the Lottery Fund to prepare for the establishment of an Asia-Pacific Intangible Heritage Centre (APIHC). The EIIHCAP will conduct diverse projects such as creating an Asia-Pacific ICH database, developing ICH training programs, developing and implementing international cooperation programs for the ICH safeguarding as well as creating a system for the establishment and operation of the APIHC. Not only that, it will carry out necessary activities to obtain approval for the APIHC establishment from UNESCO and be actively involved in the projects to safeguard the ICH of the Asia-Pacific region.