The reporter was informed during the press conference held by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on May 21 that the 9th International Intangible Cultural Heritage Festival (ICH Festival) Chengdu, China, is set to take place from May 28 to June 3 in Chengdu. This event is jointly hosted by the People's Government of Sichuan Province, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, UNESCO, and the National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO.

The current edition of the ICH Festival carries the theme "Enhancing Exchange and Mutual Learning, Inspiring the Vitality of Inheritance, and Sharing a Better Life". It introduces a "Guest Country + Guest City" mechanism for the first time, inviting Malaysia as the guest country, and Algiers of Algeria, Penang of Malaysia, Chiang Mai of Thailand, and Bari of Italy as the guest cities. Nearly 400 ICH inheritors, experts and scholars, government officials, and diplomatic envoys to China, from over 60 countries and regions such as Italy, Russia and Japan, will attend. Approximately 600 representative ICH projects will be showcased through exhibitions and performances.

The current ICH Festival includes three core components, three featured segments, and a series of supplementary activities. Among the three core components, the opening ceremony "Vibrant ICH · Tianfu Parade" will break away from traditional stage formats, featuring processional performances by 51 domestic and international troupes. "Colorful ICH · World Dialogue" will host four themed discussions, with 89 heritage projects from 44 countries presenting the essence of global handicrafts. For the first time, the domestic ICH thematic exhibition will showcase over 180 projects from 27 provinces through a scenario-based presentation, unveiling the profound time-honored wisdom and life philosophy inherent in China's intangible cultural heritage. Within the three featured segments, the "Creative Living" International ICH Brand IP Licensing and Trading section will encompass exhibitions, releases, sharing sessions and promotions, showcasing IP and derivative products from seven countries, along with ICH brand IPs from over 100 domestic representative inheritors and relevant institutions. The "Gourmet Living" International ICH Food Week will present special culinary projects from eight UNESCO Cities of Gastronomy, and a food market featuring over 70 ICH culinary traditions from across the country will offer the public a chance to savor a diverse array of intangible heritage cuisines. The "Wellness Living" Traditional Medicine Promotion Week will invite over 120 domestic ICH representative inheritors of traditional medicine to conduct health experiences, professional consultations and promotional activities. In the series of supplementary activities, the event will engage with 288 community practice spaces (sites) across 183 counties (county-level cities and districts) in Sichuan to deliver experiential offerings such as dragon boat races, public cultural performances, traditional skills demonstrations, and festive folk customs.

The current ICH Festival will highlight the role of technology, with 16 research institutions and technology companies launching over 30 interactive and participatory technological experience installations based on representative ICH projects. Additionally, the festival will see the debut of the "Codename: Twenty-Four Solar Terms" mobile game, the "Fascinating Oracle Bone Script" VR digital art exhibition, and a Tai Chi martial arts digital cultural experience space, among other activities.