On November 10, 2022, the “Climate Resilience: China–Central Asia Green Culture and Tourism Cooperation Conference,” jointly hosted by the Green Smart Energy Organization and the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan, was held online. Zhang Jianwei, Executive Deputy Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (WHITRAP Beijing Centre), participated in the signing ceremony on behalf of the center, while Assistant Director Li Guanghan delivered a keynote speech.
The conference focused on the theme: “Multilateral Cooperation: Building a Sustainable Cooperation Mechanism for Cultural Heritage Protection.” Discussions centered on improving the climate resilience of cultural heritage sites and establishing international cooperation mechanisms.
During the conference, participants jointly launched the “Green Smart Energy Organization Council on Climate Change and Cultural Heritage Protection.” Representatives from the National Agency for Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Culture and Sports of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Culture, Information, Sports and Youth Policy of Kyrgyzstan, the Expert Committee of the Beijing Palace Museum Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation, WHITRAP Beijing Centre, and the Institute for Sustainable Development and Education at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University signed the charter and joined the council as founding members.
Tursunali Kuziev, Acting Director of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan, stated in his speech that he hoped the newly established council mechanism would promote cooperation in academic exchange, project collaboration, and policy coordination, contributing to green cooperation and development between China and Central Asia.
Li Ji, former Executive Vice Director of the Palace Museum and Honorary Chairman of the Beijing Palace Museum Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation, said the conference addressed one of the most severe and urgent challenges facing the world today and created a solid framework for cooperation. In particular, the signing of the charter for the Council on Climate Change and Cultural Heritage Protection marked a substantial step in the right direction. The Expert Committee of the Beijing Palace Museum Cultural Heritage Conservation Foundation is willing to provide consultation and professional support according to the needs of future cooperation projects.
Zhan Changfa, Chief Scientist of the Marine Archaeology Team at the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory and former Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, emphasized the importance of international cooperation in heritage conservation by introducing restoration projects assisted by China, including Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Nine-Story Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, and the ancient city of Khiva in Uzbekistan. He pointed out that the “Samarkand Declaration,” issued at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit attended by President Xi Jinping in September that year, called on member states to “cooperate in studying and protecting the cultural and natural heritage of the region.” He expressed hope that the council mechanism established through this conference would unite all parties and translate the declaration’s proposals into concrete actions.
Li Guanghan, Assistant Director of WHITRAP Beijing Centre, provided an in-depth analysis of the relationship between climate change and cultural heritage protection, noting that heritage conservation itself can help mitigate the impacts of climate change. He also proposed targeted measures and recommendations.
Wang Chaoyang, Chief Architect of Tencent Digital Culture Laboratory, used the Beijing Central Axis and National Museum digitization projects as examples to explain the important role of technology in the preservation and revitalization of cultural heritage. His presentation attracted significant attention from participating Central Asian countries.
Huang Yong, Dean of the Institute for Sustainable Development and Education at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and Deputy Director of the Institute of Cultural and Natural Heritage at Nanjing University, analyzed the international context surrounding climate change and cultural heritage, advocating for the use of traditional knowledge and wisdom to actively respond to climate challenges.
Chinnabek Zhordoshev, Chief Expert of the Department of Cultural Heritage Protection and Development of the Ministry of Culture of Kyrgyzstan, introduced the current state and development needs of cultural heritage sites in Kyrgyzstan. He expressed hope for closer cooperation between China and Central Asia in this field and for the promotion of more green development projects.
It is reported that the Council on Climate Change and Cultural Heritage Protection is the first specialized international cooperation mechanism established in this emerging field. Shen Ruiwen, Dean of the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University and Director of WHITRAP Beijing Centre, congratulated the successful convening of the conference and stated that the establishment of the council provides an excellent platform and framework for discussing key issues and uniting the international community. As one of the founding members of the council, WHITRAP Beijing Centre, relying on Peking University’s strong research environment and professional support, hopes to contribute more toward building a sustainable cultural heritage protection cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region through interdisciplinary heritage conservation efforts.
Wu Jianbo, Secretary-General of the Green Smart Energy Organization, introduced that the council will connect government departments, international organizations, academic institutions, and enterprises from various countries to carry out activities globally. It will particularly focus on cultural heritage sites in Central Asia, Africa, and along the Silk Road that are severely affected by climate change, contributing to the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
