WHITRAP Shanghai launches the first of its

 

From June to November 2022, WHITRAP Shanghai will organize a series of 6 monthly online World Heritage Dialogues including a WHITRAP Herit-AP Chat, in July, hosted by the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP) Tongji University (Shanghai, China) to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which was adopted on 16th November 1972 by the General Conference of UNESCO.

The first session will explore the links between World Heritage and Quality of life to showcase how heritage can be a driver for improving today’s livelihood and developing a sustainable future.

One of the key features of the World Heritage Convention is linking the protection of both natural and cultural tangible heritage. It focuses as well on the identification of heritage in an evolving world and on the importance of defining the role and function of heritage in communities’ lives (article 5.a). It also advocates international cooperation and solidarity in safeguarding World Heritage. The Convention is dynamic as it addresses the ever-evolving challenges of the contemporary world through supporting World Heritage Policy documents and Operational Guidelines addressing risk reduction, indigenous people, climate change, sustainable development amongst other issues confirming World Heritage’s relevance. Moreover, the crucial role of heritage at large as a key resource within development processes has become part of international agendas including the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted in 2015 and the New Urban Agenda, adopted in 2016 at Habitat III, in Quito, which lay out a people-centred approach. As the future of humanity hinges on the effective planning and management of resources, conservation should no longer be considered as a constraint but understood as a strategy to achieve a balance between development and quality of life on a sustainable basis.

The objective of the WHITRAP Shanghai World Heritage online Dialogue is to further provide examples and case studies from the Asia and Pacific Region, showcasing diverse integrated approaches and the tangible and intangible benefits brought by World Heritage. It will encourage peer-to-peer discussions, exploring how heritage and World Heritage in particular, can be a lever to improve the quality of life of people within and outside designated properties. Addressing how to align social, environmental, economic and cultural goals – the drivers of change – with the goals of conservation. And furthermore, examine how heritage values and their intrinsic qualities can have a positive impact to foster qualitative new developments.

The Dialogues will be in English with simultaneous interpretation in Chinese.

Agenda

15:00-15:10 Introduction to Dialogues
Marie-Noël TOURNOUX, Project Director, WHITRAP Shanghai

15:10-15:25 Opening Speeches -- Group Photo
Prof. Li Xiangning, Dean, CAUP Tongji University
Jyoti HOSAGRAHAR, Deputy Director, UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Prof. ZHOU Jian, Secretary-General, WHITRAP

15:25-15:35 Introduction to Discussion Topic
Marie-Noël TOURNOUX, Project Director, WHITRAP Shanghai
Prof. SHAO Yong, Professor, CAUP Tongji University

15:35-16:00 Keynote Speech: World Heritage and sustainable development
Jyoti HOSAGRAHAR, Deputy Director, UNESCO World Heritage Centre

16:00-16:25 Keynote Speech: 50 years of World Heritage: Quality, Quantity and Sustainability of Sites in the World Heritage List
Gabriel CABALLERO, ICOMOS Philippines & ICOMOS Focal Point for the SDGs

16:25-17:25 Round Table Discussion
Moderator: Prof. SHAO Yong, Professor, CAUP Tongji University
Moe CHIBA, Chief of Culture Unit, UNESCO Jakarta Office
Gabriel CABALLERO, ICOMOS Philippines & Focal Point for the SDGs
Gamini WIJESURIYA, WHITRAP Special advisor
YAN Haiming, Director, ICOMOS China Secretariat
Prof. YANG Jianqiang from Southeast University

17:25-17:30 Wrap up
Marie-Noël TOURNOUX, Project Director, WHITRAP Shanghai