On September 21, 2022, the UNESCO World Heritage Training and Research Centre for the Asia and the Pacific Region (Beijing) visited the UNESCO Office in China.
Professor Shahbaz Khan, Representative of the UNESCO Office in China, and Li Ang, Knowledge Management Advisor at the UNESCO Office in China, met with Zhang Jianwei, Executive Deputy Director of the Beijing Center and Vice Dean of the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University; Song Feng, Deputy Director of the Beijing Center and Associate Professor at the School of Urban and Environmental Sciences at Peking University; and Li Guanghan, Assistant Director of the Beijing Center and Researcher at the Peking University Cultural Heritage Protection Research Center.
This was the first official meeting between the UNESCO Office in China and the Beijing Center.
Professor Shahbaz Khan, UNESCO Representative in China, with the WHITRAP Beijing Center delegation
During the meeting, Executive Deputy Director Zhang Jianwei introduced in detail the mission, organizational structure, and work plan of the Beijing Center. Professor Shahbaz Khan expressed strong interest in the overall work of the Center and acknowledged its achievements in training and education, outreach and cooperation, research and practice, as well as information and communication.
He particularly praised the fact that the Beijing Center is the only center dealing with both cultural and natural World Heritage.
Zhang Jianwei with Professor Shahbaz Khan, UNESCO Representative in China
Professor Shahbaz Khan also inquired in detail about the organizational structure, division of responsibilities, and strategic goals of the three WHITRAP sub-centers (Beijing, Shanghai, and Suzhou). The Beijing Center representatives provided comprehensive explanations.
The Asia-Pacific Heritage Centre serves States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in the Asia-Pacific region as well as other UNESCO Member States, and is dedicated to the protection and development of World Heritage in the region. Professor Shahbaz Khan expressed his support for this mission.
The two sides also held in-depth discussions on future cooperation possibilities.
Professor Shahbaz Khan introduced key UNESCO projects in the Asia-Pacific region and expressed hope that the Beijing Center would align its future strategic goals and work plans with these initiatives. He also provided recommendations for the Center’s future development, particularly emphasizing the importance of strengthening cooperation in both natural and cultural heritage protection.
He further suggested that the Beijing Center’s future work should be more closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, contributing more actively to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
