July 29 – August 1, 2025 | UCLG ASPAC Culture Committee, led by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, hosted a workshop on “Harnessing Heritage Assets for Inclusive Growth and Community Empowerment in the Asia-Pacific Region” organised by the UNITAR CIFAL Jeju, in cooperation with the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia. A total of 24 participants from nine countries in the region participated in the workshop, including UCLG ASPAC members from the cities of Baguio, Catbalogan, Jambi, Makati, and Taipei.
At the opening session, Ms. Kyong-Seon Hwang, Director of Cultural Policy of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, discussed their presentation of the orange economy at the UCLG ASPAC Executive Bureau in Boracay and hoped that the workshop could be a platform for meaningful and lasting exchange. At the closing session, Ms. Ryu Il Soon, Executive Director of the Culture, Sports and Education Bureau of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, remarked that select participants will be invited to the UCLG ASPAC Congress to present their action plans. She expressed optimism that the workshop can strengthen cultural policy development and build stronger communities.
Throughout the four-day workshop, speakers shared their expertise on heritage-led regeneration, fostering youth leadership in intangible culture heritage, the UNESCO inscription systems and Bio-Cultural Community Protocols, the use of technology for heritage promotion, and access and financial models to support heritage-based development. UCLG ASPAC members presented their case studies on the journey to the circular economy (Baguio), heritage village of SEKOJA (Jambi), heritage preservation of Poblacion (Makati), and preservation and adaptive reuse of Treasure Hill Settlement (Taipei).
In addition to the lectures, facilitated group discussions, and action planning, the workshop included two site visits. The first visit was at the Jeju Museum of Art, which is a provincial government-managed museum opened in 2009 as a representative cultural venue of Jeju Island. The museum exhibited the paintings of artists Marc Chagall and Kang Tae Seok. The second visit was at the Dongbaek Village (Camellia Village), which was selected as Best Tourism Village by the UN World Tourism Organisation in 2023. The participants had a hands-on experience in camellia soap making, appreciated nature at the Camellia Forest, and enjoyed camellia bibimbap.
The UCLG ASPAC Culture Committee was established in 2015 by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province to promote culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development in Asia-Pacific cities and local governments. The committee focuses on five major themes of the Agenda 21 for Culture, namely: 1) heritage, diversity, and creativity; 2) culture and environment; 3) culture and economy; 4) culture, urban planning, and public space; and 5) governance of culture.
Photo credits: UNITAR CIFAL Jeju
