The Convention for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (hereinafter referred to as the “ICH-Convention”) and its Operational Directives recommend the involvement of experts of ICH in the implementation of the ICH-Convention. And indeed, many researchers in the domains of ICH and its safeguarding from the South and the North as well as from the West and the East have come to the various meetings of the organs of the ICH-Convention. However those unique opportunities so far have not been utilized for involving researchers, or for discussing relevant research topics in a systematic way during or in the margin of those meetings, although well targeted research in the various domains of the ICH and its safeguarding is a prerequisite for a sound development of the ICH-Convention. Thus some experts took the initiative to organize a Forum of ICH Researchers as well as a first meeting of this Forum that in principle is to take place as a side-event before the biannual meetings of the General Assembly. The Forum is meant to be an open space where experts present their views, analyze the implementation of the ICH Convention so far and engage in discussion on topics that may further the development of the Convention.more