ICHCAP

ICHCAP and the Korea Heritage Service held the award ceremony on the Contest for Cultural Tourism Product through Traditional Crafts in Kyrgyzstan, on March 4 in Bishkek. The event was attended by Gulbara Abdikalikova, Deputy Minister of The Kyrgyz Republic`s Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy, Kim Kwang-jae, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Kyrgyzstan, as well as around 70 officials from the National Commission of the Kyrgyz Republic for UNESCO and the Kyrgyz Crafts Council, who gathered to celebrate the award winners.

This competition was organized as part of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) project by the Korea Heritage Service, titled 'Promoting Cultural Tourism Industry by Capacity Building for Production and Digital Marketing of Traditional Craft in Kyrgyz Republic'. Aimed at the modern reinterpretation and industrialization of Kyrgyz traditional crafts, the competition sought ideas and prototypes that could be developed into attractive cultural tourism products for both domestic and international visitors. A diverse array of works was submitted from across Kyrgyzstan, and following deliberations by a panel of judges composed of experts from both Korea and Kyrgyzstan, a total of 24 winners were selected. The Grand Prize was awarded by the Minister of Culture, Information, Sports, and Youth Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic, while the Excellence Award was presented by the Director-General of UNESCO ICHCAP. In total, 24 individuals received awards across various categories.

Notably, some of the winning entries from this competition will be further developed and commercialized through follow-up programs under the ODA project, facilitating their entry into the market. This initiative is expected to enhance the quality of traditional crafts, provide new opportunities for local artisans, and contribute to the revitalization of the cultural tourism industry in the Kyrgyz Republic.