Recent community engagement and educational initiatives in East Asia actively aim to contribute to both the preservation of cultural heritage and the evolution of contemporary pedagogy. This panel engages in global interdisciplinary conversations on education, heritage, and community-building seen in two regional case studies of such initiatives connecting local practices with broader international trends. In Japan’s case, Mr Hongmin Ahn focuses on the Shikoku Pilgrimage in Japan, demonstrating how regional and national educational programs advance cultural preservation and promote local pride while supporting Japan’s UNESCO heritage recognition efforts. Dr Yanhua Zhou discusses a case study on the Handshake 302 art collective in Shenzhen, China, where art-geographic explorations serve as a means of engaging with migrant communities, resulting in the shaping of identity through contemporary art education. The panel ultimately calls for a rethinking of how we educate future generations in East Asia through community involvement, offering a timely reflection on the role of community-engaged art and education in addressing global challenges related to cultural preservation and social transformation.
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