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The opening ceremony of the UNESCO World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2021 was held online on July 5, 2021. Tian Xuejun, Vice Minister of Education, chairperson of the National Commission of the People’s Republic of China for UNESCO, and chairperson of the extended 44th session of World Heritage Committee, attended the ceremony via video conference and delivered a speech.
Tian hailed the World Heritage Committee as a major platform for protecting world ecological diversity and human civilizations, and for promoting mutual understanding, cooperation and friendship among peoples around the world. He called for close cooperation and joint actions by the international community to protect world heritage.
Stressing that it was of special importance for young people around the world to pay attention to and participate in the conservation of world heritage, he expressed his wish for young people to take up the mission in the face of new challenges in order to contribute to the shared prosperity and sustainable development of human society.
He also urged State Parties to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage to raise the awareness of the public on protecting world heritage through education and information dissemination, with a focus on young people.
As a regular side event organized during World Heritage Committee sessions, the forum serves as a platform for exchange and cooperation among young professionals in the field of world heritage conservation, and has played an active role in enhancing understanding and friendship among young people from different countries and promoting the sustainable conservation of world heritage.