We are the storytellers now: A UNESCO–CRIHAP Initiative to build the capacity of the Indigenous Youth in Cultural Heritage Inventorying

For three days at the end of June, in the quiet coastal town of Cox's Bazar, a group of 20 young people from the Chakma, Tripura, and Rakhine communities gathered not just to learn — but to reclaim.

With notebooks in hand and stories in their hearts, they came to understand how to preserve the cultural heritage passed down through generations — and how to ensure those traditions continue to thrive.

From 29 June to 1 July 2025, the UNESCO Dhaka Office, in collaboration with the International Training Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (CRIHAP), held the residential workshop "Empowering Indigenous Youth for Living Heritage Preservation in Bangladesh."

Organized with the support of indigenous welfare organization Zabarang Kalyan Samity, the workshop invited youth to step into the role of cultural custodians for their communities.

Susan Vize, Country Representative of UNESCO Bangladesh, emphasized the importance of youth in safeguarding heritage: "We believe that youth are not only the future, but the present agents of change. This workshop provides a unique opportunity for young people from indigenous communities to deepen their understanding of heritage safeguarding through community-based inventorying methods."

Across Bangladesh, indigenous communities carry a wealth of cultural knowledge and practices that have shaped identities for centuries. This workshop supported young people in gaining the tools and confidence to document and safeguard these traditions — from rituals and crafts to oral histories and collective memories — using community-led methods grounded in the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Under the guidance of UNESCO-accredited ICH expert Shubha Chaudhuri and national expert and writer Rifat Munim, participants took part in an intensive programme combining theoretical learning, group collaboration, and real-world application.

A highlight of the workshop was the field exercise, where youth visited a local community to practice inventorying cultural elements using formats developed during the training. They returned with stories, renewed pride, and a deepened sense of responsibility.

One of the participants, Lampra Tripura from the Tripura community, shared his experience: "The ICH workshop taught me how to preserve traditional treasures. I am very glad to have learned these methodologies and am grateful for this opportunity." Another participant, Mra-Ngwea from the Rakhine community, reflected on the workshop's significance, saying, "I have newly learned how to practice and sustain our heritage as a way to preserve our identity, uniqueness, and existence, and to keep it flowing within our community." Hema Chakma from the Chakma community shared, "We usually think of heritage as music, dance, and festivals. But this workshop clarified for me that heritage also includes practices like folk art, crafts, and, most importantly, traditional social knowledge and customs, which are equally important to preserve and practice."

The workshop concluded with peer presentations and reflections, allowing participants to share what they had learned and discovered. For many, the experience was transformative — an opportunity to see their cultural heritage not only as something to be proud of, but as something they could actively protect and promote. In addition to the local impact, CRIHAP's involvement underscores a broader vision.

A representative from CRIHAP remarked, "Through this training, I hope that youth from indigenous communities will acquire robust methodologies for understanding living heritage and its inventorying, enabling them to recognize heritage elements within their own communities and enhance their communication and documentation skills." 

This initiative is part of a broader effort by UNESCO and CRIHAP to support youth-led cultural preservation. Looking ahead, both organizations remain committed to nurturing the leadership of indigenous youth in safeguarding and celebrating their living heritage.