CHENGDU, China, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 9 ^th International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is held from May 28 to June 3 at the Chengdu International Intangible Cultural Heritage Expo Park.

Co-hosted by the Sichuan Provincial People's Government, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, UNESCO, and the National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO, the festival features nearly 600 representative intangible cultural heritage (ICH) items for exhibitions and performances. Centered on integrating ICH into modern life, it showcases innovative achievements in the fusion of traditional culture and technology, while fostering in-depth collaborations between ICH-branded intellectual properties (IPs) and related industries.

A "Guest Country + Guest City" mechanism is introduced for the first time, with Malaysia serving as the guest country and Algiers (Algeria), Penang (Malaysia), Chiang Mai (Thailand), and Bari (Italy) as guest cities. The event gathers 400 participants, including ICH inheritors, scholars, government officials, and foreign diplomatic envoys stationed in China, representing over 60 countries and regions.

A dedicated "Technology Empowering ICH" section is arranged this time, where 16 research institutions and tech enterprises will present over 30 interactive devices. Drawing inspiration from ICH items such as silk weaving and the folklore of Journey to the West, the exhibits have incorporated VR tours, culture-themed games and short videos, to give fresh life to traditions.

Since its inception in 2007, the International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage has been successfully held for eight consecutive sessions, establishing itself as a vital platform for showcasing heritage preservation achievements and facilitating cultural exchange. As the host city of the event, Chengdu has demonstrated equally remarkable accomplishments in local intangible cultural heritage preservation. Chengdu is home to 336 ICH items recognized at the city level or higher, including 25 national-level treasures. The city also has 382 officially certified ICH practitioners, with 21 of them holding the prestigious national-level master title.

Statistics reveal that Chengdu holds over 260 cultural heritage events for the public every year, attracting 300,000 participants. These activities have triggered widespread public enthusiasm for preserving intangible cultural heritage. Now Chengdu has 14 special cultural districts featuring ICH, along with 227 traditional craft product lines. Together, they bring an annual economic value of 30 billion yuan and provide jobs for more than 50,000 local residents. The "Chengdu Handicraft" public brand has cumulatively generated over 400 million yuan in sales for heritage inheritors, demonstrating the tremendous commercial potential of ICH industrialization.

Source: The Sichuan Provincial People's Government

Contact person: Ms. Hou, Tel: 86-10-63074558