Participants from Southeast Asian member countries and relevant bodies discussed and shared experiences in protecting intangible cultural heritage at a regional meeting in Ha Noi. — VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI (VNS) — Participants from Southeast Asian member countries and relevant bodies discussed and shared experiences in protecting intangible cultural heritage at a regional meeting in Ha Noi.

The two-day Sub-Regional Meeting for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Southeast Asia 2015 was jointly organised by the Viet Nam Institute for Musicology (VIM) and the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP).

Kwon Huh, ICHCAP director-general, said, "The participants listened to presentations by experts on the role and importance of the community in safeguarding ICH and heard different experiences in building networks in international organisations working in the field of arts and culture."

Yesterday, presenters from UNESCO and ICHCAP gave speeches on safeguarding ICH in and with groups, communities and networks; the importance of information and network building with ICH stakeholders; and suggestions for collaborative projects in the region.

Country reports on the current status and issues for ICH stakeholder information in Southeast Asia are to be delivered by presenters from Viet Nam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos, besides the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Myanmar at today's session.

"I believe that these presentations contain important insights for the ICH Stakeholder Mapping Project that ICHCAP plans to implement with Southeast Asian countries," Huh said.

A CD collection of traditional Vietnamese music was launched yesterday. It is the fruit of co-operation between VIM and ICHCAP.

The collection comprises nine CDs of traditional music of Viet Nam and UNESCO-recognised world intangible heritage art forms such as xoan singing, quan ho (love duets) and ca tru (ritual singing).

The meeting's opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Dang Thi Bich Lien, Katherine Muller-Marin, UNESCO chief representative in Viet Nam, and Vanessa Achilles from UNESCO's Bangkok office. — VNS