Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) Vice President Leong Wai Man and IC Cultural Heritage Department Chief Choi Kin Long are representing Macau at the World Heritage Committee’s 44th session taking place in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, according to an IC statement yesterday.

According to the statement, the session is taking place both online and offline concurrently from July 16 to 31. The agenda for the session includes reviewing more than 200 reports on heritage conservation such as heritage sites on the Silk Road. The statement also pointed out that the Great Wall was complimented by the committee as an example of a “well-managed” heritage site.

Meanwhile, the statement said that on the topic of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Historic Centre of Macau, the committee acknowledged that Macau has been putting in a lot of hard work and agreed the way Macau incorporates heritage conservation into urban planning is a good idea.

The statement also said that the committee is willing to encourage and strengthen its education and promotion work in local communities so that they can learn more about Macau’s historical heritage.

The statement noted that during the session the committee has provided suggestions and feedback on the urban development plans for Guia Hill, adding that the bureau will follow up on the matter according to the suggestions made. The statement did not elaborate on the matter.

Moreover, IC President Mok Ian Ian told reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s ceremony which marked the formal start of the Macao Orchestra 2021-22 Concert Season that the timetable for the Protection and Management Plan of the Historic Centre of Macau and the ongoing work concerning the setting-up of a monitoring centre for Macau’s UNESCO World Heritage will be released by the end of next year.

The statement also said that “Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China” was listed on the World Heritage List on Sunday, the 56th Chinese heritage site that has been inscribed.

Quanzhou, Fujian’s largest metropolitan region with a population of over eight million, was the nation’s major port for foreign traders during the 11th through 14th centuries. Marco Polo is said to have visited the city.

According to the IC statement, Culture and Deputy Tourism Minister-cum-National Cultural Heritage Administration Director Li Qun and National Cultural Heritage Administration Deputy Director Song Xinchao exchanged ideas on the Historic Centre of Macau’s development and conservation plans with the two IC representatives on the sidelines of the session in Fuzhou.

The statement said that the National Cultural Heritage Administration validated Macau’s hard work on safeguarding historical buildings.

The statement said that by attending the World Heritage Committee session in Fuzhou, the bureau has been able to exchange its experiences in heritage protection works, promising that in the future the bureau will continue to keep up its conservation work and promote the importance of world-class heritage.

This undated handout photo provided by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) yesterday shows officials and guests attending the World Heritage Committee’s 44th session in Fuzhou.