[Zhang Xinsheng, Chairman of the World Heritage Convention]: Mr. Chairman of the Executive Organization Bureau, Mr. Chairman of the Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, Your Excellencies, Members of the World Heritage Committee, Representatives of the States Parties to the World Heritage Committee, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, I am very honored to preside over the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee in Suzhou, China. [09:2 1]
[Zhang Xinsheng]: I am very happy to welcome all my friends in this modern and dynamic city. You may have noticed that this meeting is unprecedented in terms of duration and attendance. About 700 representatives from more than 65,438+000 countries, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations around the world attended this conference. We are honored that Mr. Hu Jintao, president of China, sent a congratulatory letter to this conference. Ms. Chen Zhili, State Councilor of China, Mr. Director-General of UNESCO, Mr. Executive Chairman of UNESCO and Mr. President of the Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention attended today's meeting. [09:24]
[Zhang Xinsheng]: Ladies and gentlemen, the duration of this session is 10 days. There are many important agendas. At this meeting, we will face many exciting challenges, including evaluating the global strategy, considering 48 nominations for the first time or postponing discussion, and reports on the Caribbean and other places. I believe you can meet these challenges with your wisdom and experience. There is an old saying in China, seek common ground while reserving differences. I believe that in the spirit of mutual understanding and friendly consultation, we can find better and wiser ways to solve various possible problems. We should strive to make the World Heritage List reflect various cultures and environments democratically. Let every member of the world heritage family find the heritage sites closely related to themselves in the list. [09:24]
[Zhang Xinsheng]: Facing so many problems, managing time effectively is a very arduous task. I believe you will support my work, not only because we have to finish the agenda of the meeting efficiently, but also because I hope you can visit the world heritage in Suzhou and its adjacent areas. We have time to enjoy various cultural activities arranged by our hosts. I hope you can enjoy more China culture during your stay in China. Faced with natural disasters, our heritage is often so fragile. The earthquake that happened in Iran last year is one example of natural disasters threatening human heritage. At the same time, human activities also bring many threats to the world heritage. War and excessive pollution often destroy our cultural and natural heritage, sometimes even seriously. As a world heritage of mankind, it reflects the development and history of human civilization and records the evolution of the world. The destruction or disappearance of any world heritage is the loss of all nationalities and cultures. [09:24]
[Zhang Xinsheng]: Because of this, the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage has quickly become one of the international conventions with the largest number of signatories. Because of this, we are gathered here today to make important decisions on how to better fulfill our responsibilities and better define and protect world heritage. In order to ensure the success of this meeting, the China Municipal Government has done a lot of preparatory work. The government and people of Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province specially built this unique exhibition hall for this purpose. 130 college students from Suzhou will serve the conference as volunteers. The secretariat of the member countries of the World Heritage Committee in Paris and the three advisory bodies of the World Heritage Committee have also made positive contributions to the preparation of this session and the reform process of the World Heritage. As the chairman of the World Heritage Committee, I would like to thank them for their spirit of cooperation and excellent work. Finally, I want to thank the World Heritage Committee for electing me as its chairman, which is your trust in me. I look forward to friendly cooperation with you during this session. I am also very grateful to the Director-General of UNESCO, the Director of the World Heritage Center and their excellent staff for their concern and efforts in the world heritage, so that we can make this session a successful and difficult one. Now I declare open the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee. Thank you! [09:24]
[Moderator]: Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to invite Ms. Chen Zhili and State Councilor the State Council of China to read the congratulatory letters from President Hu Jintao and President People's Republic of China (PRC). Please welcome Ms. Chen Zhili. [09:27]
[State Councilor Chen Zhili]: A congratulatory letter from President Hu Jintao to the 28th World Heritage Committee. On the occasion of the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee in Suzhou, China, on behalf of the government of China and the people of China, and in my own name, I would like to extend my warm congratulations on the convening of the session and sincere welcome to all delegations attending the session. [09:27]
[Chen Zhili]: In the long historical process, human society has left a rich cultural heritage and naturally created beautiful scenery. Every country in the world has its own unique cultural and natural heritage. They are not only the precious wealth of all countries and nations, but also the precious wealth of all mankind. Due to historical changes and the influence of human activities, many precious cultural and natural heritages have been eroded or destroyed by time, and some of them are on the verge of danger. Strengthening the protection of natural heritage is a human task, a lofty responsibility entrusted to us by history, and an inevitable requirement for the continuation and sustainable development of world civilization. Protecting the world heritage is a century-old industry that benefits mankind. The Convention for the Protection of Natural Culture and Heritage adopted by the United Nations 1972 is an important historical convention for the protection of world heritage. [09:29]
[Chen Zhili]: The China Municipal Government attaches great importance to the protection of cultural and natural heritage, and will continue to promote the excellent culture of the Chinese nation, protect the ecological environment, expand international cooperation, ensure that cultural and natural heritage is fully protected and rationally utilized, and further promote the harmonious development between man and nature. Diversity is a world-famous basic feature. The process of human historical development is the process of continuous communication, integration and innovation of various civilizations. Strengthening the dialogue between different civilizations is conducive to mutual understanding and learning between different countries and nationalities, and is conducive to promoting the cause of world peace and development. I believe that with the joint efforts of all delegations, this meeting will be a success and make positive contributions to the rich and colorful development of human civilization. I wish all delegates a pleasant stay in China. This is a congratulatory message read by President Hu Jintao of People's Republic of China (PRC) on June 24th, 2004. [09:30]
[Moderator]: Thank you, Commissioner Chen Zhili. Thank you for reading Hu Jintao's congratulatory letter. Now, it is my great honor to invite Ms. Chen Zhili to address the conference. [09:3 1]
[Chen Zhili]: Good morning, delegates, ladies and gentlemen! Suzhou in June was picturesque, and the 28th General Assembly of the United Nations World Heritage Organization was held here. I would like to extend my warm congratulations on the convening of the meeting. [09:32]
Chen Zhili: Cultural and natural heritage is the common wealth of all mankind. For thousands of years, all nationalities in the world have created splendid and colorful cultures with their wisdom. These precious cultural heritages are the witness of the development of human history, and they are our resources for connecting the past with the future. Heritage records the evolution history of the earth and the evolution process of life, and is the environment for our survival and development. World cultural heritage and natural heritage are both indispensable and precious resources of human society. Protecting the world cultural and natural heritage is the common responsibility of governments and people all over the world. [09:33]
[Chen Zhili]: China is an ancient civilization with a long history and rich cultural and natural heritage. China government has always attached great importance to the protection of cultural and natural heritage. Five national key cultural relics protection units were announced, 10 1 national historical and cultural city was identified, 127 1 national key cultural relics protection units were identified, and 17 1 national and scenic spots were delineated./kloc-0 Twenty-nine heritages are listed in the World Heritage List. We have strengthened the construction of laws and regulations on the heritage list, successively promulgated the Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) on the Protection of Cultural Relics, and established a relatively complete system of laws and regulations on heritage protection. We have established the policy of giving priority to protection, giving priority to rescue, rational utilization and strengthening management of cultural relics. A supervision and management mechanism for heritage protection has been established to fully mobilize all sectors of society to participate in heritage protection. We will continue to increase investment in heritage protection, establish an emergency system for heritage disaster prevention, and severely crack down on illegal and criminal acts such as excavating and smuggling cultural relics, hunting rare animals, and destroying the natural environment. We have also strengthened scientific research on heritage protection and made efforts to guide heritage protection with scientific theories. It can be said that the heritage protection in China has gradually embarked on a scientific and legal track. The Government of China attaches great importance to international cooperation in the protection of world heritage. We have established extensive and in-depth cooperative relations with relevant international organizations in the world, especially UNESCO. The Government of China will further strengthen international cooperation in the protection of world heritage and continue to make its own contribution. [09:34]
Chen Zhili: As a developing country, China is building a well-off society in an all-round way. We deeply realize the important role of strengthening the protection of cultural and natural heritage in this historical process. Deepen the work of heritage protection, continuously strengthen the institutional construction and personnel training of heritage protection, and make full use of modern scientific and technological means to realize the dynamic information management of heritage protection. Widely publicize the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and popularize the knowledge of heritage protection and laws and regulations. Further improve the public's awareness of heritage protection, especially young people, and form a social trend that the whole society cares about heritage and consciously participates in heritage protection. [09:35]
[Chen Zhili]: The China government has always advocated respecting the diversity of world civilization and culture, respecting each other's historical traditions and protecting all world heritage. Over the years, we have actively cooperated with UNESCO in the field of heritage protection and made great contributions to world heritage protection. We are willing to continue to maintain and develop good cooperative relations with UNESCO and other countries in the world. [09:36]
[Chen Zhili]: Ladies and gentlemen, the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee is an important meeting in the history of world heritage protection. This conference has been widely concerned by the public in China and will have a far-reaching impact on the protection of cultural and natural heritage in China. We also believe that this meeting will promote mutual respect, dialogue and cooperation between different cultures and civilizations. Make positive contributions to world peace and development. China is willing to join hands with all countries, regions and relevant international organizations to make unremitting efforts to protect the common cultural and natural heritage of mankind. We are full of confidence in the future of world heritage protection. [09:36]
[Chen Zhili]: Finally, I wish the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee a complete success. I wish all the guests a happy life and good health in Suzhou. Thank you! [09:37]
[Moderator]: Thank you, State Councilor Chen Zhili. It is my great honor to invite the Director-General of UNESCO to address the General Assembly. [09:40]
[Kōichirō Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO]: Dear State Councilor, President of the UNESCO General Conference, President of the Executive Board, ladies and gentlemen, delegates, I am honored to come to China on the occasion of the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee. As the former chairman of the World Heritage Committee, I have been paying close attention to the preparations for this conference. Now I am deeply impressed by the outstanding buildings specially designed for this Committee. I sincerely thank the government of China for its thoughtful and meticulous arrangements for this meeting, and believe that their efforts will make the meeting a complete success. [09:4 1]
[Director-General of UNESCO]: Coincidentally, in the past few months, due to the French China Culture Year, we were immersed in the cultural atmosphere of China, and UNESCO was fortunate to hold an art exhibition by artists from China. Especially the Great Wall in Wan Li, China, makes China one of the countries with the most heritage. China is a great country, not only because of its large population and vast land, but also because of its cultural heritage of thousands of years. Today, we come to Suzhou, a classical garden city. Suzhou classical garden is a masterpiece of China's garden art, which combines art, nature and humanistic thoughts, and they form a beautiful and magical heritage. [09:42]
[Director-General of UNESCO]: Guqin is one of the four major arts that China literati must master. There is also Kunqu Opera, the oldest traditional opera art form in China, which still exists in China. Set singing, speaking and acting in one. Let's bring the topic back to Suzhou. Suzhou is the cradle of art, and Suzhou gives priority to cultural protection, environmental protection and maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. [09:44]
[Director-General of UNESCO]: Just now, Mr. Zhang, Chairman of the World Heritage Committee, mentioned that human activities have caused great damage to the heritage. Promoting the protection of fragile world heritage sites is also promoting cultural diversity that reflects past, present and future heritage. Cultural heritage is actually an open concept, which bears witness to the universality of human creative activities. It includes not only cultural relics, but also countless cultural expressions, cultural landscapes or what we call intangible heritage. In this inheritance, we can appreciate the knowledge system created by human records, such as performing arts and celebrations, and let us know its inheritance process. The broadening of the concept of cultural heritage makes us realize that cultural phenomena can only be understood through the whole. To truly appreciate tangible heritage, we must refer to other heritages, and we must also understand its interaction with material and intangible, natural and humanistic environments, and the necessity of caring for various manifestations of cultural heritage. UNESCO has done a lot of work in the field of cultural governance norms, and we are formulating a convention to protect the diversity of cultural content and artistic expressions. UNESCO just adopted the Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2003. I hope this convention can come into force as soon as possible. [09:47]
[Director-General of UNESCO]: It can be consistently reflected in the implementation of UNESCO cultural conventions. Here, I especially consider the six criteria for listing cultural heritage in the World Heritage List, that is, if the heritage has outstanding universal value events or living traditions, ideas, beliefs or arts, or has direct or significant connection with literary works, then the heritage can also be listed in the World Heritage List, even if the Heritage Committee thinks that it should be listed according to this criteria only under special circumstances. Although its implementation conflicts with other standards of ancient culture and natural heritage, I want to emphasize that the Convention on Intangible Heritage deliberately avoids the idea of highlighting universal values, because the nature of intangible heritage itself is constantly changing and transforming. We can only appreciate the significance of this intangible heritage from generation to generation, in the continuous consciousness and continuous consciousness generated by the population. I think that when it comes to material and non-material things, we should coordinate the definition of heritage and find a suitable way. [09:5 1]
[Director-General of UNESCO]: This heritage is very heavy, mainly because there are more and more heritages on the World Heritage List. If possible, the World Heritage Committee, the World Heritage Convention and higher institutions should consider the training needs and the effective protection of heritage sites when implementing the strategy of globalizing world heritage adopted by 1994. Periodic reports are a means to analyze and understand the implementation of the Convention in various regions in the future, and I believe this means will help to establish and clarify the priorities of our work. In addition, in the discussion about the famous Keynes, it is up to you to decide how to make the catalogue more representative and balanced. [09:52]
[Director-General of UNESCO]: We need to make the World Heritage Convention more balanced. There is a very heavy work schedule waiting for you. Finally, I sincerely thank State Councilor Chen Zhili and the government of China for their hospitality, which made the 48th World Heritage Conference so grand. Good luck with your work! [09:53]