Chinanews Client Beijing, July 16th (Reporter Shangguanyun) From July 16th to 31st, the 44th World Heritage Conference will be held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province.

This "extended version" of the meeting will review the World Heritage projects in 2020 and 2021.

Data map: On July 14, the exterior view of the Fuzhou Strait International Convention and Exhibition Center, the main venue of the 44th World Heritage Convention.

The 44th UNESCO World Heritage Conference will open on the 16th in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province.

Photo by China News Agency reporter Zhang Bin

　　What are the innovations in the form of this conference?

What are the categories of World Heritage Sites?

How should we protect them?

The first online review format

　　According to media reports, unlike the past, the 44th World Heritage Convention has been innovative in terms of form.

　　The opening ceremony of the conference will be held in Fuzhou on July 16.

After the opening ceremony, the conference will be held online. This is the first time in the history of UNESCO to review World Heritage issues online.

　　The conference will review two annual World Heritage projects in 2020 and 2021, including 45 "World Heritage List" pending projects and 258 World Heritage protection status reports, which is equivalent to double the workload of previous conferences.

It is expected that the "World Heritage List" and other lists will have important updates.

　　During the conference, various countries will hold a series of supporting activities and side events, including the World Heritage Youth Forum and the World Heritage Site Managers Forum jointly organized by China and UNESCO, and 8 side events hosted by China.

What are the categories of World Heritage Sites?

　　According to public information, the types of world heritage are: natural heritage, cultural heritage, a mixture of natural heritage and cultural heritage (ie dual heritage), etc.

Data map: The aerial view of the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, a world heritage site, is spectacular.

Photo by Yang Yanmin

　　Among them, the world cultural heritage specifically refers to the "tangible" cultural heritage, such as the well-known Great Wall, the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin and the Terracotta Warriors and Horses Pit, etc.; the natural heritage includes Hubei Shennongjia, Fanjing Mountain and so on.

　　Since joining the World Heritage Convention in 1985, China has successfully declared 55 World Heritage Sites, ranking first with Italy.

Among them, there are 37 cultural heritages, 14 natural heritages, and 4 natural and cultural dual heritages.

It is worth noting that this conference will consider the cultural heritage application project-"Quanzhou: Song and Yuan China's marine business center".

　　According to reports, Yan Chenggao, deputy director of the Conservation Department of the National Forestry and Grass Administration, said at the press conference that China is a firm supporter and active practitioner of the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

　　According to the authoritative assessment report of the World Heritage Conservation Status of the World Heritage Committee (IUCN), the World Heritage Committee's advisory body, the World Heritage Outlook 2020 shows that among the world natural heritage and double heritage, the overall global status is "good" and " The proportion of “good” is 63%, and that of China is 89%; the proportion of the world in critical condition is 7%, and that of China is zero.

　　"my country's 18 world natural heritage and dual heritage sites are in good overall protection and are not endangered. The assessment report shows that my country's overall protection status is significantly better than the international average." Yan Chenggao said.

How to protect the world heritage?

　　The world heritage is considered to be "the gift of mankind to the future".

"World Heritage" including cultural heritage has its own set of detailed and strict standards, and only those that meet the requirements can be included in the "World Heritage List."

Data map: Taishan Mountain is covered in silver after the snow, and the scenery is picturesque.

Photo by Zhang Kun issued by China News Agency

　　Moreover, the successful “application for heritage” does not mean that it will be done once and for all. Wang Wei, the chairman of the Chinese Society of Archaeology, once mentioned, “If you leave it alone, it may be “delisted”, that is, removed from the list.

　　After the success of the "indication", how to protect and develop is a topic of concern from all walks of life. 

　　Yan Chenggao previously stated that the protection and utilization of China's world natural heritage has always adhered to the principle of combining resource protection and people's livelihood development.

The protection of natural heritage has promoted green development, helped alleviate poverty, become rich, and revitalize rural areas.

　　Wang Wei believes that the development or utilization of cultural heritage should be encouraged to a certain extent, but protection should be given top priority. "Every cultural heritage tells a piece of history. If people can come to visit and feel the ancestors’ Wisdom is also a kind of cultural heritage".

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