At 19:00 on July 16, the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee Opened in Fuzhou!
The session of the World Heritage Committee is sponsored by the UNESCO and hosted by China. This is the second time for China to host such session of the World Heritage Committee, which is the highest level of international conference held in the field of world heritage protection in China.
Sun Chunlan, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, attended the opening ceremony of the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee and read out a congratulatory letter from President Xi Jinping and delivered a speech. In his congratulatory letter, President Xi pointed out that the world cultural and natural heritage is an important result of the development of human civilization and natural evolution, and an important carrier for promoting exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. It is our common responsibility to protect, inherit and make good use of these precious assets. It is also an inevitable requirement for the continuation of human civilization and the sustainable development of the world.
The art performance at the opening ceremony recreates the scenery of the ancient city of Fuzhou, which was filled with the fragrance of jasmine and distributed with gorgeous and beautiful ancient buildings.
The art performance at the opening ceremony was held in the Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Centre, presenting a magnificent audio-visual feast for the audience. The theme of the art performance was "Welcoming the World with Blessings". It was divided into four parts, including the Cultural Charm of Tang and Song Dynasties, Old Buildings in the Streets And Alleyways, and South-music of Fujian, etc., which fully displays the time-honored cultural deposits of Fujian and expresses the beautiful vision of people all over the world to jointly protect the world heritage.
Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, addresses the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee. She points out that as the World Heritage Convention approaches its 50th anniversary, we must recognize that the protection of world heritage is based on the common interests of mankind.
It is learned that the session practices the concept of "humanistic world heritage", highlights the characteristics of "digital world heritage", and shows the charm of "green world heritage". The main venue is in Fuzhou and the session is mainly held online. The UNESCO will review world heritage issues online for the first time. World heritage items for 2020 and 2021 will be reviewed at the session, including 45 pending items on the World Heritage List and 258 World Heritage Protection Status Reports, twice as much work as a previous session. Important updates are expected to be made to lists such as the World Heritage List. During the session, which will last until July 31, countries will hold a series of supporting activities and side meetings, including the World Heritage Youth Forum jointly hosted by China and the UNESCO, the World Heritage Site Managers Forum, and eight side meetings hosted by China.
