International Heritage News
01
Europe-China Symposium on Regreening Cities with Nature-Based Solutions
On November 28-29, 2023, the Europe-China Symposium on Regreening Cities with Nature-Based Solutions was held online.
The discussion focused on the potential of Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) for regreening urban spaces:
·How can urban blue and green infrastructure promote sustainable urban and spatial development?
·What improvements need to be made to our governance structures?
·How can we educate and raise awareness among decision-makers and citizens?
·How can we advocate for the benefits and value of using non-core infrastructure in urban planning to address social challenges, including climate resilience, public health and well-being, and social inclusion?
The event was jointly organized by the CLEARING HOUSE and REGREEN projects, which are active in European cities including those in Belgium, Spain, Poland, Germany, Denmark, France, and Croatia.
Source: IUCN (You and I See Nature)
02
IUCN Climate Crisis Commission Now Open for Membership Applications
The call for new members to the IUCN Climate Crisis Commission (IUCN CCC) has officially launched.
The vision established for the Climate Crisis Commission (CCC) in 2021 is: to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels; for societies to adapt to and manage climate risks in ways that enhance socio-ecological resilience, actively protect nature, and promote just outcomes for all.
To achieve this vision, the Climate Crisis Commission will help implement the broad climate-related policies adopted by IUCN through General Assembly resolutions, combine existing efforts and synergies, develop new actions, foster productive and constructive partnerships, and fully leverage IUCN's convening power in the field of nature conservation.
Source: IUCN (You and I See Nature)
03
ICCROM Successfully Launches First Sustainable Digital Heritage Course
ICCROM, together with AVP and the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision (NISV), undertook to understand the global need for digital heritage. The input received was used to design the first cascading capacity development course on sustainable digital heritage.
This new course was conceived within the framework of the Sustainable Digital Heritage (SDH) initiative, ICCROM's latest initiative developed at the international level through a human-centered design process. The nine-month Sustainable Digital Heritage course involves multidisciplinary teams from four different cultural institutions, which are "learning partners" in this initiative, from four ICCROM member states—Belgium, Ecuador, Peru, and Türkiye.
The first phase of the Sustainable Digital Heritage course (November 6-10, 2023) included a one-week online learning experience for the sustainable heritage learning partners.
The course aims to help digital leaders in the cultural heritage field develop mindsets and approaches for the digital age, in order to develop sustainable methods for preserving the longevity of collections.
Source: iccrom.org
04
33rd General Assembly Successfully Held: ICCROM Opens Promising New Chapter
The 33rd session of the ICCROM General Assembly concluded in Rome. National delegations from 137 member states, as well as observers from non-member states, intergovernmental organizations, and other partner institutions, participated in the biennial two-day event hosted at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to assess ICCROM's progress, set priorities, and address issues emerging in the field.
As it enters the next biennium, ICCROM welcomes newly appointed Director-General Ms. Aruna Francesca Maria Gujral, who will begin her four-year term in January 2024.
Source: iccrom.org
05
Launch of Phase II of the Mentoring Programme for African Heritage Professionals
Within the framework of UNESCO's Global Priority Africa (Flagship Programme 3: "Promoting Cultural Heritage and Capacity Development"), the Mentoring Programme for African Heritage Professionals was developed through a collaboration between the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and three Advisory Bodies (ICOMOS, ICCROM, and IUCN). It aims to expand the roster of African experts and create opportunities for junior African practitioners to become heritage experts and participate more fully in the World Heritage system.
At the 45th extended session held in September 2023, the World Heritage Committee adopted the first-ever "World Heritage Africa Strategy," which sets clear targets for capacity building in line with UNESCO's Operational Strategy for Priority Africa 2022-2029.
Under this strategy, the Mentoring Programme aims to train 60 mentors by 2025 and ensure that by 2029, at least two mentors from every African country are accredited and working within the World Heritage system.
Source: whc.unesco.org
Domestic Heritage News
01
2023 China Architectural Heritage Value Assessment Training Course Held in Quanzhou
The UNESCO Multi-Sectoral Regional Office for East Asia, together with the Palace Museum, the Quanzhou Municipal People's Government, and the Chinese Society of the Forbidden City, held the 2023 China Architectural Heritage Value Assessment Training Course in Quanzhou, Fujian Province, from November 18 to 24, 2023. This is the fourth in a series of capacity-building training courses on Chinese architectural heritage value assessment that began in 2017. Twenty-five frontline heritage conservation personnel and researchers from across China gathered in Quanzhou to collectively reflect on and explore the values and assessment methods of architectural heritage.
This training course focuses on vernacular architecture while also incorporating intangible cultural heritage of building craftsmanship, enriching the dimensions and scope of architectural heritage value. Participants will深入 explore Quanzhou, a land rich in history and culture, excavating the heritage value of traditional Minnan architecture and contributing to the protection and utilization of Quanzhou's unique architectural heritage. The training is conducted within the framework of the "Ancient House, New Voice" Quanzhou pilot活動 under Phase IV (2021-2024) of the UNESCO-China Youth Development Foundation Mercedes-Benz Star Fund "China World Heritage Site Protection and Management" project. The goal of this new pilot activity is to leverage culture and heritage for sustainable development and international exchange and cooperation.
Source: UNESCO
02
Maritime Silk Road Cultural Heritage Protection Roundtable Successfully Held
On November 3, the "Maritime Silk Road Cultural Heritage Protection Roundtable," guided by the National Cultural Heritage Administration, was successfully held in Nanning, Guangxi. GUAN Qiang, Deputy Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, attended and addressed the meeting. Prack Sonnara, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts of Cambodia; Daw Nu Mra Zan, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture of Myanmar; and Kumari Somaratne, Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Aviation of Sri Lanka, attended and delivered speeches. Vasarn Thesuriya-anon, representative of the Department of Cultural Promotion, Ministry of Culture of Thailand, spoke via video. MIAO Qingwang, Vice Chairman of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region People's Government, attended and delivered a致辞.
GUAN Qiang introduced the achievements of China's international exchange and cooperation in cultural heritage with Southeast and South Asia, and shared progress in research on the basic concepts, temporal and spatial frameworks, heritage types and heritage values of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, as well as progress in cultural relic protection and investigation, World Heritage nomination preparation, and international exchanges. He stated that Maritime Silk Road cultural heritage is important physical evidence recording the exchange of goods, ideas, culture, and beliefs among countries along the Maritime Silk Road, and documenting the history of friendly interactions between the peoples of China and Southeast and South Asian countries. Launching multilateral cooperation in the field of Maritime Silk Road cultural heritage is a pragmatic choice for consolidating and developing collaborative relationships in cultural heritage protection between China and Southeast and South Asian countries.
He proposed that cultural heritage departments of China and Southeast and South Asian countries take this meeting as an opportunity to jointly关注 and support the World Heritage nomination of the Maritime Silk Road and promote the establishment of a coordination mechanism for transnational joint World Heritage nomination; invite countries to strengthen cooperation in areas such as international joint archaeology, cultural relic protection projects abroad, and cultural relic exhibition exchange, within the framework of the Asian Alliance for Cultural Heritage Protection; jointly participate in building the global governance system of the World Heritage Convention, articulating Asian voices and explaining Asian concepts, contributing Asian strength to the development of the World Heritage enterprise.
Source: National Cultural Heritage Administration
03
National Cultural Heritage Administration Issues Underwater Archaeology Work Procedures (2023)
The National Cultural Heritage Administration issued the Underwater Archaeology Work Procedures (2023) (hereinafter referred to as the "Procedures"), which standardize underwater archaeological work.
The Procedures are derived from a systematic总结 of previous work. The Procedures comprise 9 chapters and 29 articles, along with appendices and tables, covering all aspects of underwater archaeology including project organization, survey and excavation, cultural relic protection, data collation, publication of results, data management, and safety management. The main text follows the structure of the Field Archaeology Work Procedures, while the appendices highlight technical要点 for each aspect of underwater archaeology, offering high practicality.
With ongoing in-depth research from recent underwater archaeological discoveries and specialized technical methods, the timely issuance and thorough implementation of the Procedures will help form a more stable and systematic system of technical methods in terms of "precision," "depth," and "speed," laying the foundation for comprehensive research on underwater archaeological remains and serving the effective management of underwater cultural resource management.
Source: National Cultural Heritage Administration
04
National Cultural Heritage Administration Hosts China Main Forum for International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property 2023
On the morning of November 14, the China Main Forum for the 2023 International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property, hosted by the National Cultural Heritage Administration and organized by the China Cultural Relics Exchange Center, the China Cultural Relics Information and Consulting Center, and the China Cultural Relics News, was held at the National Cultural Heritage Administration. The forum, themed "We Are Taking Action," focused on discussing current concepts and pathways for governments and all sectors of society to work together more effectively in combating illicit trafficking of cultural property. XIE Bing, Deputy Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, attended and delivered a keynote speech. Nearly 50 participants attended, including officials from UNESCO, diplomats from the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement and embassies of the United States, Switzerland, Germany, Egypt, and Greece in China, as well as responsible persons from relevant departments including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Supreme People's Court, the Ministry of Public Security, the General Administration of Customs, and the National Cultural Heritage Administration, along with auction enterprises and legal experts.
Source: National Cultural Heritage Administration
05
Seven Chinese Heritage Sites Receive Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation
On November 11, an awards ceremony was held in Beijing for Chinese winners (2021-2022) of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The event was hosted by the UNESCO Bangkok Office and organized by the Beijing Cultural Relics Protection Association and the School of Architecture, Southeast University. At the event, seven projects received awards: Jingdezhen Pengjia Alley, Shajing Ancient Fair Regeneration, Wenli · Songyang Sanmiao Cultural Exchange Center, Nantian Buddhist Temple, Guizhou Xili Lane, M30 Integrated Infrastructure for Power Supply and Waste Collection, and Xiaoxihu Block. Attending experts delivered keynote speeches on themes such as "Innovative Practice of Beijing World Heritage" and "The 'Beijing Experience' in World Cultural Heritage Protection and Management."
Source: National Cultural Heritage Administration
Compiled by: LYU Jiaxin
Editors: LYU Jiaxin, PIAO Lina
Reviewers: LI Guanghan, WANG Siyu
Final Reviewers: SHEN Ruiwen, ZHANG Jianwei
