The Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre for Asia and the Pacific in Korea under UNESCO is open.

The center represents more than five years of work on the part of the Cultural Heritage Administration, beginning with the task force under the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation in October 2006. It is the first UNESCO-related organization dealing in cultural heritages to open in Korea.

“Today, cultural diversity and creativity are considered essential for sustainable development and world peace,” said Director Park Seong-yong.

The purpose of the center is the preservation and protection of intangible cultural heritage in Asia and the Pacific region.

“We have the important task of understanding and safeguarding the intangible cultural heritage of humanity that has been transmitted over generations of history,” he said.

Korea, China and Japan all bid to host the center when UNESCO first announced its intentions in 2005, with Korea ultimately given permission to launch a center focusing on the information and networking sectors, while China will host a training center and Japan will be in charge of a research-oriented center.

The center will build and strengthen networks of bearers, experts and relevant institutes in the field of intangible cultural heritage, along with establishing information systems.

The aim is also to disseminate intangible cultural heritage information in order to promote awareness and overall capacity of intangible cultural heritage safeguarding in the region.

The center is located in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon and can be reached by calling (042) 820 -3502, by email at ichcap@ichcap.org or by visiting www.ichcap.org.

(yoav@heraldcorp.com)