A forum was held both online and offline on Jan. 14 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (also known as the World Heritage Convention). Vice Minister of Education Chen Jie delivered a speech at the forum.

Chen noted that the Convention, since its establishment, has recorded remarkable achievements in protecting world heritage properties of universal value, boosting cultural diversity, and promoting sustainable development. He also said heritage protection calls for closer cooperation among all countries, given the unprecedented challenges facing the world.

Chen added that China has always firmly supported and actively promoted the protection of the world’s natural and cultural heritage. As stated in President Xi’s Report to the 20th CPC National Congress, China will intensify its efforts in heritage protection to ensure harmony between man and nature and facilitate communication between different cultures. In the next stage, it will also continue to make unique contributions towards achieving the objectives of the Convention while highlighting common responsibilities, encouraging systematic coordination, and maintaining the principle of honoring diversity.

The forum was co-hosted by the National Commission of the People’s Republic of China for UNESCO, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and Tsinghua University. Representatives from UNESCO as well as from organizations managing the world heritage sites around China and UNESCO Category 2 centers and institutes delivered speeches on the theme of “World Heritage: Facing the Next 50 Years.”