Capacity-Building Workshop in the Asia-Pacific Region (Anxi, China)
"Tangible–Intangible Synergies in World Heritage Management"
Download (Application Form)
Background and Objectives
Over fifty years since the adoption of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, the global conservation paradigm has shifted increasingly toward integrated, people-centred approaches. Key normative milestones — the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, UNESCO’s policy guidance on heritage and sustainable development, and the 2025 ICOMOS Charter on Intangible Cultural Heritage at Heritage Sites — now call for equal attention to the physical fabric of heritage and the living traditions that sustain it.
Yet a persistent “management divide” remains in place. Site managers typically work within frameworks designed for physical conservation, while the intangible dimensions and community practices integral to the meaning and maintenance of sites — are addressed through separate or ad hoc mechanisms. In the Asia-Pacific region, where many World Heritage properties embody complex cultural ecosystems intertwining material form with living practice, bridging this divide is especially urgent.
Recognising this need, a series of capacity-building initiatives has been developed by WHITR-AP Beijing and its institutional partners to explore the synergy between tangible and intangible heritage. Building on the 2024 Capacity-Building Workshop for East Asia on Integrated Approach to Heritage Management and the 2025 Thematic Workshop on Serial World Heritage Properties in the Asia-Pacific Region, we will continue to focus on translating integrated approaches into actionable management strategies.
Accordingly, WHITR-AP Beijing, ICOMOS China, School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University and Quanzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism will co-host the 2026 Capacity-Building Workshop in the Asia-Pacific Region on “Tangible–Intangible Synergies in World Heritage Management” in Anxi, Quanzhou.
Anxi is home to a wealth of tangible and intangible cultural heritage, including component sites of "Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China" (World Cultural Heritage, 2021), the "Traditional tea processing techniques and associated social practices in China" (Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 2022), and the "Anxi Tieguanyin Tea Cultural System" (Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System). Through lectures, field studies, and group projects, the workshop will enable participants to move beyond theoretical frameworks and develop practical, integrated strategies for managing the synergy between tangible and intangible heritage at their own sites.
Expected Outcomes
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
Integrated Value Identification: Identify tangible and intangible attributes of heritage sites and to apply nomination principles, attribute definition, and value justification within an integrated context.
Management Practice Insights: Developed a thorough understanding of challenges and opportunities in heritage planning, policies, and management strategies, with innovative approaches to bridging the divide between “material form” and “sustaining practices.”
People-Centred Sustainable Pathways: Learned to integrate ICH elements to promote sustainable management models and establish mechanisms for community participation in heritage protection and education.
Cross-Regional Network: Established connections with heritage professionals from diverse cultural backgrounds across the Asia-Pacific, facilitating ongoing resource sharing and collaboration.
Format and Methodology
The seven-day workshop combines structured knowledge delivery with participatory field-based learning. The methodology includes:
Participant Presentations: Each participant will present an overview of their heritage site, sharing current practices and challenges in integrating tangible and intangible heritage.
Expert Lectures: Thematic presentations by international heritage experts covering integrated value identification, management frameworks, and people-centred conservation.
Field Studies: Guided visits to heritage sites in Anxi and Quanzhou, including the Anxi Tieguanyin Tea Cultural System (GIAHS) and components of the “Quanzhou: Emporium of the World” World Heritage site, providing direct engagement with integrated heritage management in context.
Group Projects and Discussions: Structured group work sessions where participants collaboratively analyse case studies, develop integrated management strategies, and present their findings for peer review and expert feedback.
Dates and Location
Resource Persons
International heritage experts from UNESCO, ICOMOS, ICCROM and leading academic institutions.
Professionals from WHITR-AP Beijing and ICOMOS China.
Heritage managers from China and other Asia-Pacific countries.
Target Audience and Eligibility
The workshop aim to recruit approximately 20 participants, targeting professionals, managers, and practitioners actively engaged in heritage management and nomination processes in the Asia-Pacific region.
Applicants should be dedicated to a World Heritage property or a site on the Tentative List in the Asia-Pacific region.
Applicants are required to have good proficiency in English as the primary working language of the workshop.
The lectures will be conducted in English and Chinese (with translation provided).
Logistics and Fees
Participants will need to obtain a visa to China on their own. The host organisation will provide necessary supporting documents for visa applications.
There is no fee charged for the workshop.
The host organisers will cover relevant expenses incurred during the stay in Anxi, including accommodation, meals, local transportation and transportation between Anxi and Quanzhou (round trip). Participants are responsible for their own travel costs to and from Quanzhou.
Organizational Structure
Hosts
World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO, Beijing（WHITR-AP Beijing）
Chinese National Committee for the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS China)
School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University
Quanzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism
Local Organizers
Anxi County People's Government
Anxi Teaching and Research Base, School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University
Co-organizers
Guidance Units
Application Process
Complete the application form in English. Click here to download: Download (Application Form)
Upload the applicant’s professional curriculum vitae in English (maximum 2 pages, PDF format, file size not exceeding 4MB).
Submit all required documents by email to icomoschina@icomoschina.org.cn before the application deadline of 15 May.
Host organisations will review the applications, and the results of selection will be sent to the applicants through email by 5 June.
If you encounter any issues submitting your application or if you have any questions, please email us at icomoschina@icomoschina.org.cn
