The online Dialogue will be in English with simultaneous interpretation in Chinese.

Video recordings of the Dialogue and a brief synthesis will be published online on the WHITRAP and Herit-AP websites.

From 11 June to 16 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.

More info at: http://www.whitr-ap.org/index.php?classid=1461&newsid=3341&t=show

On 12 October 2022 at 14.00-16:30 Beijing time (UTC+8), the 5th WHITRAP Shanghai World Heritage Dialogue will discuss “World Heritage Large Scale and Serial Properties -- A different approach to defining Outstanding Universal Values” through examples and case studies provided by experts from the Asia-Pacific region and around the world. In comparison to the other thematic dialogue themes focusing on the quality of life, rural heritage, heritage and the digital revolution, climate change and resilience, and the nature culture link, this Dialogue will focus mostly on the evolution of the Outstanding Universal Values of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List from the perspective of boundaries. Participants are invited to share perspectives based on their professional experience in their respective fields to discuss if scale, a serial and/or a transnational approach allows to differently define and identify what carries the Outstanding Universal Values of properties and in what way and what are the management opportunities and challenges of such large, serial and transnational properties.

The second half of the 20th century saw the evolution of a different approach to history focusing on long time spans, vast geo-cultural areas, complex social dimensions as well as the interaction between different areas of knowledge, which leads to considering different types of objects, their functional relations in time and space.

The conceptual change was reflected not only on a different approach to understanding heritage but how its values could be identified by expanding not only size but considering different layers, characterizing different attributes, and reflecting on the complexity of sites and functional relationships as well as involving a variety of stakeholders.

The World Heritage List reflects this change of approach. To ensure consistency and manageability for sites either too huge or made of too many components, the Committee has adopted detailed principles defined in the Operational Guidelines on serial and transboundary or transnational properties, whilst in the spirit of article 6 and of the Convention cooperation is encouraged between States Parties.

The 5th Dialogue will look in detail at a selection of 5 cultural World Heritage properties, including the Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor, the Architectural Work of Le Corbusier: an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement, the Grand Canal, the Great Wall, and the Great Spa Towns of Europe. Each of these illustrates a specific approach and will allow to trigger a reflection on the evolution of World Heritage Outstanding Universal Value, its safeguard and the management of properties in relation to the concerns and challenges of today’s world, namely climate change, conflicts, COVID, mass tourism, social inequity, etc. In doing so this Dialogue wants to contribute to imagining a way forward for the next 50 years.

Wednesday 12 October 2022
Online 14:00-16:30 Beijing time (06:00-08:30 UTC)

14:00-14:15 Introduction, Presentation of the participants and Group Photo
Marie-Noël TOURNOUX

14:15-14:35 World Heritage Large Scale and Serial Properties
YAN Haiming

14:35-15:15 Pecha Kucha
NISHI Kazuhiko, Sangeeta BAGGA,
GUANG Xiaoxia, ZHANG Yimeng, Paul SIMONS

15:15-16:15 Round Table Discussion
Moderator: Marie-Noël TOURNOUX

16:15-16:30 Wrap up
SHAO Yong

16:30 Closing
Marie-Noël TOURNOUX

Marie-Noël TOURNOUX
Project Director,

WHITRAP Shanghai

YAN Haiming
Associate Research Fellow at China Academy of Cultural Heritage,

Director of ICOMOS China Secretariat

NISHI Kazuhiko
Chief Senior Specialist for Cultural Properties Office 

for International Cooperation on Cultural Heritages Agency for Cultural Affairs, 

Government of Japan

Sangeeta BAGGA
Principal of Chandigarh College of Architecture, 

Chandigarh, India

GUANG Xiaoxia
Associate Research Curator on Cultural Relics and Museum 

of Yangzhou World Heritage Conservation and Management Office 

(Grand Canal Heritage Conservation and Management Office)

ZHANG Yimeng
Associate Researcher at the World Cultural Heritage Centre of China 

at the China Academy of Cultural Heritage

Paul SIMONS
Secretary General Great Spa Towns of Europe, 

United Kingdom

SHAO Yong
Professor at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, 

Tongji University, China