The China National Section of IOV hosted the 2009 Global Forum on the Protection of Endangered Minority Cultures at Jiuzhaigou from October 22 through 26. Jiuzhaigou is located in Sichuan Province in an area inhabited by Tibetan and Qiang National Minorities. It has been designated a UNESCO Heritage site because of its unique and spectacular scenery, which is a major tourist draw from urban centers.
The conference participants began by visiting the offices of the Ministry of Ethnic Affairs and the Ministry of Culture in Beijing on October 23. On the 24th, the group flew to MianYang, where they boarded a bus for an 8 hour ride through scenic gorges and mountain passes in the region so badly damaged by the earthquake two years ago. 
The group eventually arrived at the Jiuzhaigou Mountain Hotel and Conference Center. After a day of sightseeing in the Ziuzhaigou National Park, opening ceremonies were hosted in a beautiful mountain setting by local officials and representatives of the ministries of culture, information and ethnic affairs.
Some memorable performances of Qiang and Tibetan folk music were experienced, including one by the lone surviving patriarch of the Qiang Minority.
Following the opening ceremonies, paper presentations began in a beautiful setting inside the conference center, where the walls and area around the periphery of the room had been decorated with beautiful examples of the embroidery for which the region is known.
Mark Quiet Hawk Gould, Chief of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Indian Tribe of New Jersey, U.S.A., spoke of his people’s struggle to maintain an identity following first contact with European colonists in the 1600’s. Other presenters spoke on topics ranging from the origins and evolution of Irish Step Dance by Dr. Donna Breckenridge (USA/Canada) to the quilting traditions of Pakistan by Dr. Patricia Stoddard (USA).
The role of the 2003 UNESCO Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was discussed by two members of the original Intergovernmental Committee, Dr. Mila Santova (Bulgaria) and Dr. Marc Jacobs (Belgium). Dr. Gordana Makar of Zabreg, Croatia assisted Dr. Ivo Ravic of Bosnia and Herzegovina present a project underway in West Herzegovina to create an ethnologic museum and living farm, where the culture of the Croatian minority of West Herzegovina will be protected.
Other presenters included Lan Zhiqi, Deputy Director of the Culture Propaganda Department of the Ethnic Affairs Commission of China; Dr. Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri (Spain); Dr. Florence Neubauer (Florida, USA); Dr. Aija Jansone (Latvia); Mr. Gabriel Ma. J. Lopez of the UNESCO Commission of the Philippines; Dr. Kinga Czerwinska (Poland); Dr. Iveta Pirgova (New Jersey, USA); Ms. Meredith Park, Chair of the Makah Indian Culture and Research Center (Washington, USA); Mr. Marcel Oelbrandt (Belgium); Mr. Li Song (China); Dr Fu Ming (China); Prof Abraham Edru (Philippines), Mr. Feng Guangyu , Member of the Committee of Experts for the Protection of the ICH (China); Mr. Liu Shangang (China); Gu Weirong (China); Mr. Shi Yuhui (China); and Mr. Yang Jiusheng (China). The Chair of the conference was George Frandsen (USA).
All aspects of the conference were well organized by the IOV China National Section. Mrs. Emma Chen Hoefler, who chaired the organizing committee, did a spectacular job of coordinating every aspect of the conference with the assistance of her able and dedicated staff. Thank you to Fu Ming for his support.
