The UP Visayas Office of Initiatives in Culture and the Arts (OICA) Director, Prof. Martin Genodepa, and Research Associate Ms. Josie Jane Tambirao participated in the 2023 Intangible Cultural Heritage International Conference and Field School on 1-7 August 2023.
Both events were organized by the Asia-Pacific Higher Education Network for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage (APHEN-ICH) with the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School – Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (USTGS-CCCPET) as lead convenor. UNESCO Category 2 privileged partner in South Korea, the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (ICHCAP) was a major partner and collaborator in the events.
The International Conference, with the theme “2003 Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention: Safeguarding Identity, Diversity, and Sustainability” was held at UST.
Delegates at the conference and field school included graduate students, researchers, professors, and culture administrators from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, and the Philippines.
Speakers during the conference included Prof. Eric Zerrudo of USTGS-CCPET, Commissioner Aldrin Darilag of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Dr. Neel Chapagain, Head Secretariat of APHEN-ICH, Dr. Seongmi Jeong of Korean National University for Cultural Heritage, and Ms. Corazon Alvina of Museo ng Kaalamang Katutubo.
Also present were Mr. Weonmo Park, the Director of UNESCO-ICHCAP, National Commission for Culture and the Arts Chairman Victorino Manalo, and UNESCO Philippines Secretary General Ivan Henares.
The Field School, with the theme "Manyaman: Culinary Culture, Identity, Diversity & Sustainability" was held in various cities and municipalities in Pampanga: Magalang, Guagua, San Fernando, Mabalacat, Angeles, and Mexico.
Participants, observers, and focal persons of the field school visited the workshops of various artisans and observed how they continued to make the crafts that have been passed on by their progenitors.
The artisans culture bearers include makers of guitars and billiard sticks, carvers of religious figures and furniture, smiths of metal or silver repoussé, parol or lanterns makers, and cooks of traditional food.
The field school also included visits to local museums as well as a sampling of traditional and exotic food unique to Pampanga.
The International Conference on ICH and the Field School are regular activities of the APHEN-ICH which at present has 22 member universities. UPV is a founding member of the network and Genodepa, who helped draft the organization's statutes, is the current focal person. He also previously served as Bureau Member for Southeast Asia when APHEN-ICH was founded in 2018.
