“ICCN 5th Thematic Workshop and 2nd ICCN International Youth Forum,” was held in Gannat, France from 22 to 24 September 2011. The theme of the workshop is “How partnerships between local governments, NGOs and volunteers will have a positive impact on the safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage and local development,” and the Youth forum discussed “What does Intangible Cultural Heritage mean to you and how does it impact you in your daily life as well as in the future?” in relation to “youth volunteering.”
Mr. Louis Huguet, Mayor of Gannat, Mr. Jan Pijacek, Chairperson of ICCN board meeting and Mayor of Vlcnov, Mr. Eui-bong Jeong, Chief Director of the department of Tourism, Culture and Welfare of Gangneung, on behalf of the ICCN representative, other mayors of ICCN member cities and about 70 people from 22 different cities and cultural institutions has participated in the workshop and talked over their experience. Experts from Belgium, Brazil, China, Croatia and Nepal newly participated in the ICCN workshop and not only showed their high interest on our activities for ICH, but also kindly shared their expertise. The workshop was composed of 4 sessions with 4 specific themes, ICH and Economy, ICH and Tourism, ICH and Local Policy and ICH and Youth volunteering.
At the board meeting, 8 cities from Slovakia, Isfahan of Iran and Czech Ethnographical Society was approved its membership to the ICCN. Hereby, ICCN become an international organization with 31 cities and 8 cultural institutions. Naples, Italy confirmed its hosting of the 6th ICCN Thematic workshop in 2013 and Kingston, Jamaica, was decided as next host city of 5th ICCN General Assembly in 2014. Additionally, the issues of membership fee and composition of International Advisory Committee for the ICCN were raised by the secretariat and some cities. The final decisions on these issues were adjourned until the following General Assembly in 2012. Until then, members of the Executive board will have a further consideration via E-mail.
The 2nd ICCN International Youth Forum became the open space to make young people feel the cultural identity connected to their local community and encourage autonomous youth participation in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
To sum up, the ICCN has developed its organism as an international network though this workshop. The ICCN believes that this workshop benefits to its members and other participants in diverse aspects of their activities of safeguarding local ICH. Also, within ICCN’s firm cooperative relationship among member cities, we are expecting that there will be more practical exchanges in education, culture, art, tourism and policy of the field of safeguarding and promoting ICH.
September 27, 2011 ICCN Secretariat
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