The goal of this research is to expand on existing theories and best practices in intangible cultural heritage (ICH) documentation, safeguarding, and transmission.

 

By comparing best-practices carried out in Poland and Europe for the past 20 years of existence of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the PI will assess and apply it her work in Canada. By taking a multi-disciplinary approach, this research will work in partnership with ICH-custodians, academics, and policymakers to examine current policies and practices aimed at protecting and transmitting living heritage elements, including languages and livelihoods. This project’s three broad research questions are:

      (1) What are the ways intangible cultural heritage elements are revived,                            maintained, promoted, and transmitted?

       (2) How is cultural performativity contributing to the survival of traditions and

            ecocultural values in the modern world? 

       (3) How is ICH pushing the boundaries of cultural and environmental policies,

            programming, and laws?

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Given Canada’s reluctance to ratify the 2003 UNESCO Convention, the research will focus on the ways that ICH policymaking and programming in Poland can be used as an ICH best-practices. Preliminary findings already show that ICH is valuable to groups who hold it, and that ICH programming and policymaking can be transferred across cultures and groups.  The premise of the project supposes that (a) ICH documentation, safeguarding and transmission must be adapted to local and national needs, values, and frameworks; and (b) that ratifying the 2003 UNESCO Convention is an additional rather than a starting point for ICH work (Pawłowska-Mainville 2023). 

 

Having learned from the wealth of examples of ICH-based work in Poland and in Europe, the hypothesis is that this project will advance the ICH discourse in Canada. This investigation into ICH policymaking and best-practices will be valuable for community and family cultural and linguistic mobilization in the 21st century.