Enabling ICH inheritors, BMW Innovates Corporate Social Responsibility
Tsinghua BMW Innovation Center for Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding Wraps
Up The 2020-2021 Innovative Exploration and Implementation Program

(Beijing, April 8th) Today, the Tsinghua BMW Innovation Center for ICH Safeguarding (hereinafter referred to as the Innovation Center) held its 2020-2021 Innovative Exploration and Implementation Program’s Closing Ceremony at the Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts and Design. Six intangible cultural heritage (ICH) inheritors from Liaoning and Hubei have successfully graduated following the completion of their respective innovative exploration and implementation programs. This social achievement of the Innovation Center has set a paradigm for the innovation and development of the ICH industry. It also fully demonstrates BMW Group’s “Taking China as the home court” philosophy, and firm commitment to protecting traditional Chinese culture as it actively practices corporate social responsibility to create value and make long-term contributions to Chinese society.

Launched in 2007, BMW China Culture Journey is a corporate social responsibility project by BMW that addresses social issues related to traditional Chinese culture protection and ICH inheritance. Over the past 15 years, the program has assessed recognized social issues and thoroughly explored the concept of “teaching a man how to fish”. To create shared value, the program continuously leverages social resources to build a bridge for “Integrate ICH into the modern life.” In 2016, the program joined hands with Tsinghua University’s Academy of Arts and Design to establish an innovation center and enable ICH inheritors. In 2019, based on the cooperation with Tsinghua (Qingdao) Academy of Arts and Science Innovation Research, the Innovation Center’s collaboration model was upgraded to lead and help ICH inheritors on a one-on-one learning-by-doing basis in designing and developing ICH products that has market demand. As a social innovation platform built by BMW China Culture Journey, the Innovation Center aims to continuously contribute to the "creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese culture” through the enabling of ICH inheritors.

For the Innovation Center’s 2020-2021 Innovative Exploration and Implementation Program, four ICH inheritors were selected during the Liaoning tour of BMW China Culture Journey, namely national Liaoning traditional amber carving technique ICH inheritor Chen Huansheng, Liaoning traditional tin carving technique ICH inheritor Shi Yan, pine stone carving technique fifth-generation inheritor Feng Yueting, and Fuxin agate carving technique ICH inheritor Yang Fan. In addition, following the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, the program also invited Zou Chuanzhi, a representative Chu lacquerware decoration technique ICH inheritor, and Wan Xiang, a Chu Chinese zither technique ICH inheritor, from Hubei Province to join the Innovation Center to help Hubei ICH inheritors. The team of expert mentors is composed of Professor Lu Xiaobo, Mr. Wang Xiaoxin, Mr. Yang Peizhang, Mr. Liu Runfu, Mr. Su Zhipeng and Mr. Ma Wenjia. After three months of theoretical exploration, field visits and exchanges of ideas, the six ICH inheritors jointly designed and developed a series of ICH creations with the Innovation Center’s team of expert mentors based on the center’s one-on-one learning-by-doing approach. The creations were officially released at the end of last year.

Since 2016, the Innovation Center has successfully held 6 Social Innovation Deliverables Exhibitions and more than 20 seminars featuring corporate executives as well as creative workshops to better enable almost 50 ICH inheritors through social innovation thinking and social collaboration models. Zou Chuanzhi, an ICH inheritor from Hubei, said: “The Innovation Center can help ICH inheritors broaden their horizons and enhance their art appreciation capabilities. It also makes us realize the potential of innovative design and cross-border collaborations for ICH techniques. ICH creations are not only a way for our history and legacy to be integrated into modern life--it is also an important means for us to tell the stories of China well. ”

For 15 years, BMW China Culture Journey has forged a firm path forward as it vividly demonstrates BMW's commitment to put down roots in Chinese society and fulfill its commitment to contributing to local communities.

Taking China as the home court, BMW Group China continues to create values for the Chinese customer, the local society and industry for mutual growth. BMW believes that a responsible business has its sights set beyond sales and profit, and instead puts more focus on engaging stakeholders to jointly address social issues and contribute to local communities. Closely following and with deep insights into the Chinese government and society’s major social agendas, BMW CSR targets three social issues—Culture Protection, Social Development and Environmental Protection—to continuously contribute to a better Chinese society through four flagship projects—BMW China Culture Journey, BMW Children’s Traffic Safety Education, BMW JOY Home, and BMW Beautiful Homeland Initiative.