Call for Applicants: Luang Prabang Youth Ambassadors’ Forum “Building Community-centered Innovations to Promote Sustainable Development and Safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage”
A great opportunity for young people in Luang Prabang to become Youth Ambassadors for Intangible Cultural Heritage with UNESCO, United Nations University (UNU), Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (CRIHAP), Traditional Arts and Enthnology Centre (TAEC), the Luang Prabang World Heritage Office, and the Laung Prabang Department of Information, Culture and Tourism!
Join us in an online forum only for Luang Prabang, Lao PDR, and discover your new community-led innovations.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS EXTENDED TO 7 JUNE 2022.
Selected applicants will be supported with seed fund for fieldwork.
The objective of this forum is to address needs at local communities through adopting a design-thinking approach in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Who can apply?
1. Persons between 15-30 years old, living in Luang Prabang;
2. Native in Lao language;
3. Possessing good presentation and public speaking skills;
4. Familiar with living heritage or intangible cultural heritage in Luang Prabang, preferably in their village or community;
5. Possessing a positive and open mindset to multicultural learning and teamwork;
6. Responsible and punctual, always on time in attending class and submitting assignments;
7. Having basic to intermediate computer skills, for example in making presentations, editing photos or videos, using online databases, etc.
8. Available to complete the entire workshop, from self-learning tasks, scheduled online workshops and showcase day, and fieldwork activities;
9. Additional advantages, although not required:
a. Native in an additional ethnic language in Lao PDR;
b. Able to communicate in English and/or Thai (intermediate level or above);
c. Owning a computer laptop.
How to apply?
1. Fill out the online application form: http://bit.ly/LPinnoyouth-apply by 7 June 2022. In this form, you are required to tell us about ICH that you have in your own community. Select one that you want to learn about and help safeguard to explain in more detail. This ICH could be something very close to you and your family. It can be something that you practice, or you wish to practice. In any case, it must be something that at least some people in your community still practice and pass on to others.
2. On 15 June 2022, UNESCO will announce the list of selectees on https://bangkok.unesco.org and will send email to the selected applicants with an access link to the self-learning portal.
What and when to participate?
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), The United Nations University (UNU), Tokyo Institute of Technology, International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (CRIHAP), Traditional Arts and Ethnology Centre (TAEC), Department of Luang Prabang (DPL) and Department of Information, Culture and Tourism (DICT) are inviting youth networks and community organizations in Luang Prabang to support this forum by encouraging their youth members to apply for it.
To ensure inclusiveness, we are seeking participants who come from different villages and ethnic groups, and show interest and knowledge in diverse ICH domains (performing arts, craftsmanship, belief systems, festivals, rituals, etc.)
The Youth Forum consists of 3 parts:
- Online training of cultural youth ambassadors
- ICHxSDGs Ideathon
- Showcase Day on 15 October 2022
Part 1: Training of Cultural Youth Ambassadors
(20 August – 18 September 2022)
The training component is a month-long series of online workshops involving orientation and interactive activities and brainstorming.
The selected participants will receive training on the concepts and practices involving intangible cultural heritage (ICH), or so-called living heritage; the importance of community involvement in safeguarding ICH; and their linkages with the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Additionally, participating youth will be introduced to the design-thinking process as a tool for creating innovative solutions that will be collectively sought to safeguard ICH of their communities.
A design process can guide learners towards developing a deeper understanding of the community’s needs and encourages learners to think and act collaboratively and creatively. It helps transform difficult challenges, like using ICH to better your life, by arriving at unexpected insights to produce creative innovation centered on users and/or real-life problems.
Lessons include:
- Interactive ICH digital storytelling;
- Knowledge on the UNESCO 2003 Convention, the important role of youth in recreating their local ICH, the safeguarding process of community heritage including elements that have not been inventoried yet, the value of ICH in the sustainability of Luang Prabang;
- Critical thinking for building cultural industries from ICH;
- Design thinking;
- Interactive design activities, such as team brainstorming, presenting design ideas and creating a mood board;
- Documenting/editing video practice activity.
Part 2: ICHxSDGs Ideathon
(24 September – 8 October 2022)
The cultural youth ambassadors will also participate in an Ideathon. They will collaborate with artisans, practitioners and community members to gain insight and conceptualize a local project where an innovative solution will be sought to safeguard community-level ICH. This activity aims to promote the youth’s active engagement with their own community in learning specific issues faced by the community, and finding solutions to improve livelihood using their own cultural assets.
The youth projects will be documented and uploaded to the ICH database, making them available to the public.
Part 3: Showcase Day (15 October 2022)
Finally, the Presentation Showcase Day will provide a venue for the Youth Ambassadors to present and share their project ideas and digital stories of community-level ICH. Representatives from public and private sectors who are committed to local community empowerment and ICH safeguarding will be invited to join, give expert advice to the youth and help find partners or sponsors to turn the project ideas into action.
Forum Schedule 
