Asia-Pacific Regional Conference ‘ICH Resilience and the COVID-19 Pandemic’ was held in Osaka from 27 to 29 July 2023 to conclude IRCI’s project ‘Research on ICH Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic’ (FY 2021–2023).

The project started with a questionnaire survey conducted in FY 2021 to grasp the overall situation of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Asia-Pacific region. In cooperation with researchers and institutions from nine countries (Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran, the Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Papua New Guinea), the project made constant progress in conducting field research in FY 2022 to further document the selected cases of ICH identified in the questionnaire survey.

This conference was organized as the final event of the project, to summarize the issues and challenges as well as opportunities associated with ICH in the COVID-19 pandemic situation, while sharing the findings of field research conducted in FY 2022. All cooperating researchers from nine countries were invited to the conference to have intensive discussions, together with Japanese experts who were also invited to share the overall situation of traditional Japanese performing arts affected by the pandemic by highlighting shamisen, a musical instrument used in traditional performing arts, and Noh costumes.

Based on the presentation session, the participants had productive discussions on the positive and negative outcomes of the pandemic, for instance, on the use of digital technologies. While the effectiveness of digital technologies was highlighted as a well-recognized tool for promoting ICH elements and for documenting living heritage online, issues of copyright infringement and digital divide such as language and environmental barriers to accessing resources and materials available online were pointed out. With regard to preparedness for future pandemics, participants emphasized the importance of taking a preventive approach for safeguarding ICH by building strong networks and cooperative relationships among stakeholders through various events and projects to strengthen the viability of ICH.

The conference was a great opportunity for all collaborating researchers to get together and exchange opinions on the safeguarding of ICH with reference to their own experiences and research during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to strengthen researchers’ network for future cooperation.

On the final day, participants took an excursion to the Ohtsuki Noh Theatre in Osaka to learn about the Japanese traditional performing art ‘Noh’. After watching an introductory movie, they were fortunate to join a backstage tour guided by Mr Ohtsuki Bunzo, a Noh performer designated as ‘Living National Treasure’ in 2016.

The output of the conference will be published by the end of FY 2023.