The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO opened on July 21 in the Indian capital New Delhi, and will last until July 31. This is the first World Heritage Conference hosted by India, marking a significant milestone following the country’s hosting of the G20 Summit and further enhancing India’s soft power globally. More than 2,500 representatives from 195 countries, including representatives of contracting parties, advisory bodies, senior diplomats, heritage experts, scholars, and researchers, attended the conference. During the meeting, representatives of various countries engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as the protection, inheritance, and management of world cultural heritage, jointly contributing wisdom and strength to the preservation of the common cultural heritage of mankind.
The main agenda of this meeting was to review the 27 heritage sites nominated for inclusion in the World Heritage List, evaluate the protection status of 124 existing heritage sites on the list, and make decisions on the protection and management actions needed to safeguard threatened world heritage sites. It is particularly worth mentioning that the Moidams, the burial mound system of the Ahom dynasty, proposed by India; the “Beijing Central Axis” proposed by China; and the Saint Hilarion Monastery/Tell Umm Amer in Palestine, among other projects, received extensive attention and positive comments from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and representatives of various countries.
At 11:15 a.m. on July 27, New Delhi, the General Assembly passed a resolution to include the “Beijing Central Axis – A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital” in the World Heritage List. With this inclusion, the total number of Chinese World Heritage sites has reached 59. The “Beijing Central Axis” is a crucial urban axis that runs through the north and south of the capital. Spanning 7.8 kilometers, it connects dozens of the most notable historical and cultural landmarks, representing ancient Chinese architecture. Most of the important buildings in the old city of Beijing are constructed along the axis, which organizes the imperial palace, imperial city, temples, and streets. As the most representative and essential section of the old city of Beijing, the central axis is the core of the spatial pattern of old Beijing and showcases the magnificent spatial order of Beijing’s urban space.
The World Heritage Committee believes that the traditional Chinese capital planning theory and the philosophical ideas of “Zhong” and “He,” embodied in the “Beijing Central Axis,” have made significant contributions to the history of world urban planning. Although several attractions on the Beijing Central Axis have already been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, experts say that including the “Beijing Central Axis” as a whole on the heritage list is still important. When many heritages come together, they tell a story of the unification process of Chinese civilization and history, reflecting the unique philosophy behind ancient Chinese architecture and culture, and serving as a microcosm of Chinese aesthetics. It not only connects many important cultural relics and monuments but also carries rich historical and cultural information.
UNESCO representatives said that the “Beijing Central Axis” narrates the long history and brilliant culture of the Chinese nation, and emphasizes the importance of cultural heritage protection in today’s world. They believe that the project has made significant contributions to the protection and inheritance of the common cultural heritage of mankind and demonstrated China’s cultural confidence and sense of responsibility. Furthermore, they expect that the successful application of the “Beijing Central Axis” will set a new benchmark for the protection of world cultural heritage and promote the in-depth development of global cultural heritage protection.
With the in-depth advancement of the application work, countries around the world have shown strong cultural confidence and support for the protection of international cultural heritage. The protection of world cultural heritage is a crucial avenue to enhance international exchanges and cooperation, representing a shared wealth among different cultures. Through protection and inheritance, cultural exchanges and understanding between different countries and regions can be fostered, thereby enhancing international friendship and cooperation. The protection of world cultural heritage necessitates the joint efforts and cooperation of the international community to collectively promote its development.
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