Paper short abstract:

This contribution to the roundtable will discuss needs and responsibilities of scholarly engagement with monitoring intangible cultural heritage safeguarding at the local and national level and will explore fundamental and applied research experiences.

Paper long abstract:

The implementation of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at the international level is a dynamic process that encompasses gradually evolving modalities for governmental as well as non-governmental cooperation. Nevertheless, and most significantly, an important change is often experienced at a local and national level. It may bring policy and legislative developments, and serve as a novel frame for self-reflection for heritage communities as well as researchers from diverse scholarly disciplines. The change brought by the Convention at the local and national level may result in thoughtful dialogues and farsighted decisions. It may also reveal conflicting interests, difficult pasts, as well as strengthened claims of recognition of cultural identities and respective rights.

This contribution will discuss in particular needs and responsibilities of scholarly engagement with monitoring intangible cultural heritage safeguarding at the local and national level and will explore fundamental and applied research experiences, including the implementation of the postdoctoral research project 'Intangible Cultural Heritage as Resource for Sustainable Development in Northern Europe: Rights-Based Approach' (No.: 1.1.1.2/VIAA/3/19/476).