Global cultural diversity on display

Noriko Aikawa, former chief of the intangible cultural heritage section at UNESCO, told the forum via video that she's glad to see many are familiar with the term "intangible cultural heritage", which was quite the opposite when she started enacting the convention two decades ago.

"China played a very important role in the process of initiating and formulating the convention," Aikawa says.

She adds that it's important for all states parties to review their own convention implementation, including the status of intangible cultural heritage protection.

Wang Yunxia, a law professor at Renmin University, suggests creating an international system that covers all cultural heritage.

In addition to world cultural heritage, China has countless resources, Wang Yunxia says.

Since protection concepts for heritage are very close, Wang Yunxia says such a system can pool the power of the international community.

Wang Yunxia also suggests the addition of provisions concerning intangible cultural heritage acquisition and benefits sharing to ensure cultural treasures are not inappropriately used.

"It should make clear that intangible cultural heritage development should get content from the community of origin, state where it's coming from, and give certain profits back to the community in a proper way," Wang Yunxia says.

Hu Xiaohui, researcher at the Institute of Ethnic Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, says the convention has helped China develop a protection framework featuring county, provincial, national and international levels.

It means the international organization's global influence has reached people living in the remote areas, Hu says.

"But we still need some common principles as important foundations to understand the (UNESCO) convention," Hu says.

They include inheritors joining the decision-making for protection and management of their work, intangible cultural heritage having the same value, and cultural dialogue and mutual appreciation among intangible cultural heritage.