Invitation to international heritage conservation symposium: ‘The Next 50 Years: Challenges and Opportunities for World Heritage’

26-27 November 2022

Along with the Asian Academy for Heritage Management Secretariat at Southeast University, the Beijing Cultural Relics Protection Association and the Beijing Summer Palace Institute, UNESCO cordially extends to the public an invitation to join the international symposium, ‘The Next 50 Years: Challenges and Opportunities for World Heritage’, on 26-27 November 2022.

Bringing together leading academics and practitioners to reflect on key challenges and opportunities for cultural heritage and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region, the symposium provides a timely opportunity to reflect on the 50th Anniversary of the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972 Convention), and two decades of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

The event is to coincide with a series of events the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau is organizing for the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, which will include site managers from all 38 sites in China.

On 26 November 2022, the winners of the 2022 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation will be announced. Following the announcement of winners, a panel discussion will be conducted on ‘Global standards and regional best practices in sustainable cultural heritage conservation: dialogues between World Heritage focal points and UNESCO Heritage Awards winners’.

The second day of the symposium will feature 30 selected academic paper presentations addressing one of three symposium themes:
•    Theme 1: World Heritage 50th Anniversary reflections
As part of the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, presentations will reflect on the role of the World Heritage as well as non-listed heritage in the face of global challenges, as well as the future of heritage. 
•    Theme 2: Heritage, crisis, resilience
Presentations will address natural and human-induced crises facing heritage, or ways in which heritage bolsters resilience for communities and ecosystems alike. 
•    Theme 3: Innovation for heritage management
As existing models for heritage management are proving to be inadequate to meet current and future challenges, new social, business and technological innovations are needed. Presentations will propose, analyze, or assess the potential of innovations for heritage management, including innovations emerging from other disciplines. 

The papers selection was led by the Asian Academy for Heritage Management (AAHM) Secretariat at Southeast University, and will be published through the AAHM after the symposium. 

This symposium is co-organized by the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau and the Beijing Municipal Administration Center of Parks under the generous sponsorship of the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation.

The event is co-hosted by the Fangshan District Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Zhoukoudian Site Museum and the School of Architecture of Southeast University.  

Access the full programme and zoom links: HERE

Date: 26 Nov 2022 
Time: 13.00 – 16.30 Bangkok time (GMT+7)
Zoom meeting link (no advance registration required): 
https://unesco-org.zoom.us/j/86969590709
Passcode: unes26

Date: 27 Nov 2022 
Time: 7.30 – 11.15 Bangkok time (GMT+7)
Zoom meeting link (no advance registration required): 
https://unesco-org.zoom.us/j/87331132486
Meeting ID: 873 3113 2486
Passcode: unes27