The 14th meeting of the Governing Board of IRCI was held online on 18 November 2025. The meeting was attended by nine members of the Governing Board and observers including Mr KONO Toshiyuki (Senior Fellow), Mr Chris Ballard (Representative of the Advisory Body), representatives from the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Sakai City, and UNESCO Category 2 Centres in the field of intangible cultural heritage in the People’s Republic of China (CRIHAP) and the Republic of Korea (ICHCAP).

During the meeting, IRCI presented reports on activities carried out in FY 2024 and the progress made in FY 2025. After examination, the Governing Board approved the Work Plan and Budget for FY 2026.

The Board members and observers provided a positive evaluation of IRCI’s activities, commending IRCI for aligning its research projects with the priorities of UNESCO and strengthening collaboration with Category 2 Centres in East Asia and other UNESCO-related organizations across the Asia Pacific region.