living legacy; A bridge for cultural diplomacy and regional cooperation

Mojtaba Ghestoni, journalist and secretary of Arya's elite and heritage service, wrote in a note: The seventh meeting of the board of governors of the Regional Studies Center for the Protection of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Western and Central Asia, under the supervision of UNESCO, was held on October 21 and 22, 1405 in Tehran; A meeting that, along with deciding on the continuation of the management and strengthening of the specialized structure of the center, provided an opportunity to rethink the role of living heritage as a platform for cultural diplomacy, regional cooperation and facing the common challenges of contemporary societies.

The importance of this event cannot be summed up only in its administrative approvals and management decisions. From the perspective of a cultural heritage journalist, what makes this meeting worthy of attention is the message it conveys about the capacity of cultural institutions to maintain international relations, the continuity of specialized cooperation, and the strengthening of trust between the countries of the region.

In a situation where political crises, regional conflicts and communication restrictions have cast a shadow on many international relations, the continuation of the activity of a regional institution under the supervision of UNESCO in Tehran and the participation of representatives and experts of different countries in its decisions reminds the importance of cultural diplomacy.

From this point of view, the meeting in Tehran can be analyzed from two angles: first, stabilization of the management and specialized structure of the center and strengthening the continuity of its activities; and second, moving towards defining a more active role for intangible cultural heritage in responding to the fundamental issues of today's societies.

beyond an administrative meeting; Institutional continuity and human capital

One of the important axes of the seventh meeting of the Board of Governors was to decide on the continuation of the management and strengthening of the specialized structure of the center.

During the meeting, the continuation of the chairmanship of Ali Darabi on the board of governors was confirmed, and Atusa Momeni was also elected as the director general of the center by the vote of the board members.

This re-selection is important from the point of view of evaluating the institutional performance, especially after presenting and reviewing the activity report of the past period. The activity of the center in a period when international cooperation was facing difficulties caused by regional developments, implementation restrictions and unforeseen conditions, was subjected to the review of the members of the council, and the continuation of its management was supported.

From this point of view, Momeni's re-election can be seen as a sign of the Board of Governors' trust in his management experience and expertise; The trust that, in addition to verifying past performance, creates a double responsibility for realizing the center's future plans.

The importance of this decision becomes clearer when the nature of the mission of the second category centers under the supervision of UNESCO is considered. Although these centers are not part of UNESCO's administrative structure, they operate within the framework of relevant agreements and with the aim of helping to realize the specialized priorities of this organization. Therefore, their management requires knowledge of international mechanisms, the ability to interact with member countries and having specialized experience in the field of the center's mission.

In addition to these decisions, the continued membership and role-playing of the expert members of the Board of Governors from Iran, Pakistan and Kazakhstan were also taken into consideration and necessary decisions were made regarding their continued presence.

This part of the approvals, although it may be under the shadow of the selection of executive officials in the news coverage, is of independent importance from an expert point of view. Using different scientific and national experiences, expert members play a role in improving the quality of decisions, evaluating programs and linking the priorities of the countries of the region with the specialized mission of the center.

In fact, one of the important results of the Tehran meeting should be sought in the simultaneous attention to managerial stability and the continuity of human and specialized capital; Two components that are necessary to advance regional programs and maintain effective communication with member countries.

Intangible heritage; From protecting the past to building the future

Perhaps the most important analytical aspect of this meeting is paying attention to the practical capacity of knowledge and experience of local communities and trying to link the intangible cultural heritage with today's needs.

The contemporary world is facing a series of intertwined crises; From lack of water resources and climate change to food insecurity, reduction of biodiversity and weakening of social bonds.

In such a situation, indigenous knowledge and living heritage cannot be considered as mere issues of the past. Traditional methods of water management, local systems of food production and consumption, traditional healing knowledge, social participation mechanisms and experiences transferred between generations are considered valuable capacities for understanding contemporary issues and designing answers that suit local conditions.

This approach does not mean replacing new scientific knowledge with traditional methods; Rather, it emphasizes the necessity of dialogue between different knowledge systems, with the participation of communities carrying heritage and respecting their rights and interests.

From this point of view, the importance of intangible heritage is not limited to the age of a tradition or its geographical extent; Rather, it is revealed in its ability to continue cultural life, strengthen the resilience of communities and participate in building a more sustainable future.

regional action plan; Linking indigenous knowledge with contemporary needs

In another part of the meeting, the center's action plan for 2026 and 2027 was put on the agenda of the board of governors. This program covers areas such as resilience of communities against climate change, networking in the field of traditional healing knowledge, indigenous knowledge of water management, traditional food systems, and capacity building for the implementation of the 2003 UNESCO Convention.

The common denominator of these areas is the attempt to link intangible cultural heritage with the real needs of West and Central Asian countries.

In this region, many environmental and social challenges are transboundary in nature. Water crisis, changing livelihood patterns, migration, climate changes and the threat of intergenerational knowledge transfer are not issues that can be investigated only within the borders of a country.

Therefore, regional cooperation to identify successful experiences, exchange knowledge, strengthen expertise capacities and involve local communities can create value beyond fragmented national actions.

In this framework, the regional center of Tehran has the opportunity to become a platform for communication between experts, national institutions, universities and carriers of living heritage in the countries of the region.

However, the realization of such a vision is not limited to holding meetings and developing programs. The continuation of the participation of the member countries, the provision of sustainable resources, the determination of evaluation indicators and the transformation of programs into measurable achievements will be the main requirements for the success of this center.

cultural diplomacy; A capacity to overcome dead ends

Holding this meeting in Tehran is also significant from the point of view of cultural diplomacy.

West and Central Asia is one of the regions where the nations have many historical, linguistic, ritual and civilization ties with each other. Many manifestations of the living heritage of this region are the result of centuries of interaction and cultural exchange and cannot be explained only within the framework of today's political borders.

This feature turns intangible cultural heritage into one of the effective capacities of soft power in international relations.

In a situation where political differences may limit the official channels of communication, cooperation in the field of common heritage, cultural research, education and exchange of experience can provide the context for the continuation of dialogue.

From this point of view, the importance of the regional center of Tehran is not only in the number of meetings or its executive programs; Rather, it is in its ability to transform cultural commonality into mutual trust and sustainable cooperation between nations.

Ali Darabi, the head of the Council of Governors, also emphasizes the capacity of culture to open locks and overcome impasses; A view that can be a basis for understanding the role of cultural institutions in regional relations.

However, cultural soft power becomes a lasting result when it goes beyond the level of emphasis on historical commonalities and manifests itself in the form of real cooperation, balanced participation of countries and respect for cultural diversity.

Common heritage becomes an asset for the future when all participating countries can contribute to defining priorities, implementing programs and benefiting from its results. Otherwise, cultural diplomacy may remain at the level of slogans and formal occasions.

Iran's position in the cultural cooperation network of the region

Hosting this center in Tehran is also of strategic importance for Iran.

Iran has a significant capacity to play a role in cultural cooperation in the region based on its cultural diversity, living heritage and historical links with the countries of West and Central Asia.

However, taking advantage of this capacity requires cultural heritage diplomacy to move away from a purely introduction-oriented approach and lead to participation in the production of knowledge, empowering countries, transferring experience and forming joint initiatives.

The existence of a regional center under the supervision of UNESCO in Tehran provides an opportunity for such role-playing; An opportunity whose success depends not only on Iran's national capacities, but also on the level of trust, participation and sense of belonging of other countries in the region.