What is the Ethnographic data bank of Laos?

Traditional cultures are disappearing rapidly in today's changing modern world, and with their disappearance the planet loses a part of its wealth and creativity. Creating the ethnographic data bank of Laos is a priority not only for the future generations Laotians, but for humankind. This data bank will not only preserve the legacy of these cultures for future generations, but will also make available an accurate history of these peoples and cultures for those policy and decision makers involved in development projects.

Created in November 1997 at the Institute for Cultural Research of the Ministry of Information and Culture, this data bank has developed a systematic ethnographic approach to document the diverse peoples and cultures in Laos -- these peoples constitute a legacy of cultural heritage rarely found in today's world.