The third session of the Training of Trainers Workshop on Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage for Mongolia opened on September 22 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The workshop is jointly organized by the International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (CRIHAP) and the National Center for Cultural Heritage of Mongolia.

The opening ceremony was moderated by UNESCO facilitator Saruul Arslan. She emphasized the significance of the three-year national training of trainers program, and expressed gratitude for the dedication of all partners and, in particular, for the active engagement of the participants. In his remarks, Dr. Galbadrakh Enkhbat, Director of the National Center for Cultural Heritage of Mongolia, conveyed appreciation to CRIHAP for its long-term support in Mongolia’s safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), noting that the three-year national-level program has started to yield positive results. He further stressed that climate change is severely affecting both tangible and intangible cultural heritage in Mongolia, making it an urgent issue for discussion. He expressed the expectation that this workshop would provide meaningful outcomes in this regard.

The five-day workshop is led by UNESCO facilitator Saruul Arslan and national expert Erdenesuvd Bayaraa, with additional input from UNESCO facilitator Rahul Goswami through pre-recorded video lectures. Combining international case studies, group work, and an action lab, the program brings global perspectives to Mongolia’s heritage elements while exploring the links between ICH safeguarding and sustainable development. Key topics include inventorying and disaster risk reduction, community participation, safeguarding ICH in emergencies, the impact of climate change on ICH, and strategies and considerations for responding to climate change.

The workshop received support and guidance from the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia and Mongolia’s Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth. Through such international training programs, CRIHAP will continue to contribute to the capacity building of Mongolia’s ICH trainers and the country’s overall safeguarding efforts.