After two insightful sessions on the ethical dimensions of ICH safeguarding — exploring general challenges in July and animal welfare in September — the ENFP network continues its series on Ethics in the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
🗓 14 October 2025
🕙 10:00–12:00 CET
💻 Online via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86133385766
The third meeting in the series on Ethical Challenges will address the themes of Dialogue, consent, commodification and authorised heritage discourse. Consent is integral to all aspects of safeguarding ICH and is at the centre of this session. This will be a chance to talk about what consent can look like and what happens when boundaries become blurred or contested, or the authorised heritage discourse becomes distanced from the needs of communities. This is an opportunity to explore further in a safe space, how we can work as Focal Points in an ethical and supportive manner. The strands interweave with each other and through breakout room discussion we will have a chance to share our experiences and insights.
The ethical challenges to be discussed in this session can affect every aspect of people’s lives, from how they earn their livelihoods, to how their ICH is governed by the State. Focal Points shoulder great ethical responsibilities in this area and this is an opportunity to share our experiences and learn from each other.
Programme Highlights
The meeting will begin with an introduction by Joanne Orr, followed by a recap of the September session and the sharing of illustrative examples.
Susanne Bergwerff (Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage) will provide an expert input drawing on real-life cases that illustrate the ethical tensions surrounding consent, representation, and commodification.
Participants will then join one of three breakout rooms for focused discussions:
- Informed consent – tensions and challenges to community consent
- Dialogue – whose voices are heard in the context of an authorised heritage discourse
- Ethical considerations and boundaries to commodification
Each group will exchange concrete examples and explore practical strategies for strengthening ethical reflection and inclusive dialogue in ICH safeguarding. The discussions will then return to plenary for a short summary of key insights, followed by closing remarks and an introduction to the next session on 21 November: Problem solving tools and practical approaches.
We warmly invite you to join this third session of the ENFP Ethics Series and take part in this shared reflection on how we, as focal points and practitioners, can engage ethically and responsibly in the complex realities of living heritage.
