IRCI participated in the international symposium ‘We Are Site Managers’ held in George Town, Penang, Malaysia during 1-5 March 2024, and presented its activities.

The George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) in Malaysia was responsible for organizing the symposium, which attracted around 160 participants from 37 countries worldwide. Site managers from different countries, primarily involved in managing World Heritage sites, discussed their experiences, solutions, and resources needed to manage World Heritage sites during the symposium. It was an opportunity for the site managers worldwide to foster networking, knowledge exchanges, and cooperation.

IRCI delivered a presentation, entitled ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage Perspectives for Heritage Management: Introducing Initiatives of IRCI’. The presentation demonstrated that managing World Heritage sites can benefit from perspectives focusing on various intangible cultural heritage (ICH), through introducing IRCI’s project ‘Research on ICH Contributing to SDGs: Intangible Cultural Heritage for Sustainable Cities and Communities’, investigating the connection between tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the Asia-Pacific region. Participating in this event provided a deeper understanding of the actual efforts made and challenges faced by managers of World Heritage sites. Being in a community that is dominated by discussions on tangible cultural heritage, IRCI was able to bring attention to its significance and role as a research centre, specializing in ICH research.

The George Town Declaration, which addresses the critical role of site managers and their effective functioning, was adopted as the outcome of this symposium. It can be read at the GTWHI website.