September 2017: The 1st Training Workshop on Space Technology for World Heritage along the Digital Belt and Road

1.Background

The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, known as the Belt and Road Initiative or One Belt One Road, focuses on connectivity and cooperation among more than 60 countries. It offers many exciting prospects for design, development and implementation of projects, especially in the management and conservation of the environment, natural and cultural heritage.

The Digital Belt and Road or DBAR Initiative, launched by the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences, aims at advocating and demonstrating the smart use of Big Earth Data across a range of applications, including the management and conservation of UNESCO Designated Sites (including World Heritage sites, world biosphere reserves and UNESCO global geoparks).

Recognizing the needs of the UNESCO member states for improving their capacities in understanding and interpreting satellite images for better monitoring and conservation of their UNESCO designated sites and the opportunities that DBAR provides, the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the auspices of UNESCO, organized the “High-Level Training Course on World Heritage under the Framework of Digital Belt and Road (DBAR)” in collaboration with the International Society for Digital Earth from 02 - 17 September, 2017 in Beijing and Zhengzhou, Henan Province. The course was financially sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and was attended by 19 high-level policy makers and managers of UNESCO designated sites from 10 Belt and Road nations across Asia, Africa and Europe and by 6 candidates from within China. Spanning over 15 days, the course started in Beijing on the premises of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and moved to the HIST Zhengzhou Base in Henan province for the subsequent week. The training comprised of lectures, handson training sessions, field visits and interactive exchanges on experiences and techniques in the monitoring, conservation and management of World Heritage sites.

2. Objective

The training course aims to provide high level policy-makers and managers of UNESCO designated sites an insight into the use of space technologies for the enhancement of their capacity to monitor and conserve their respective sites and promote international cooperation with and between the participating countries and sites

3. Basic Information

3.1 Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony of the training course was held on September 4, 2017 and was presided over by HIST Executive Deputy Director and Secretary-General Mr. Hong Tianhua. The welcome speech was made by Prof. Liu Jianbo, Deputy Director of RADI. The representative from the Special Report ● High Level Training Course on World Heritage under the framework of Digital Belt and Road Opening ceremony at RADI, Beijing The trainees and dignitaries at RADI 02 Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Mr.Sun Tie and from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, Mr.Huang Xiaofan made their opening remarks. Prof. Wang Changlin, Executive Director of the International Society for Digital Earth (ISDE) then introduced ISDE’s mandate and activities, following which Prof. Chen Fulong from HIST/ RADI made a speech on behalf of the lecturers for the course and Mr. Momchil Petrov from Bulgaria spoke on behalf of the participants.

The participants were then taken for a tour of RADI’s facilities, wherein they viewed the demonstration video titled ‘Space Technologies for World Heritage’, visited the Satellite Operation and Management Department and the Airborne Remote Sensing Centre.

The opening ceremony for the second phase of the course was held at the HIST Zhengzhou base premises on September 11 and was attended by the head of the base Prof. Feng Dexian, Prof. Hong Tianhua and other attendees. The significance of Henan province’s rich heritage was highlighted by the dignitaries and they wished that the trainees would get to experience the real China from this visit.

3.2 Teaching Arrangement

3.2.1 Lecturers

There were more than 14 lecturers who made presentations on a wide variety of topics, including Guo Zhan from ICOMOS-China, Shi Yichuan from the UNEP-World Conservation and Monitoring Centre, Philippe Delanghe, head of the culture unit at UNESCO Phnom Penh, Francesca Cigna from the Italian Space Agency ASI, Natarajan Ishwaran, visiting professor at HIST, Ma Xiaolin, deputy director of the Henan museum and several lecturers from RADI/HIST

3.2.2 Teaching contents

The training course focused on the themes under the Digital Belt and Road initiative and centered on their application in World Heritage sites and other protected sites, most importantly the use of space technologies in monitoring and conservation of these sites. It included lecture sessions on basic areas and applications of space based technologies in heritage, hands-on training sessions, field visits and exchange of experiences on their management and conservation. Covering a broad spectrum of relevant topics, there was something of interest for all of the trainees and the combination of theory and practice was welcomed by the trainees.

The first week in Beijing focused on lectures, hands on sessions and brainstorming. During the hands on sessions trainees learnt about acquiring remote sensing data, working with different software, performing basic image processing Speech by Prof. Liu Jianbo Prof. Hong Tianhua welcoming the participants Opening ceremony at Zhengzhou Special Report 03 Participants interacting in groups Brainstorming sessions The HIST team with the trainees in Zhengzhou The group visiting the archaeological site of Shuanghuaishu and making observations from the results obtained. Brainstorming sessions saw them coming up with challenges facing their sites, the learning they received from the course or from their experiences and identifying particular remote sensing challenges. They were also divided into three groups, each selecting their own group leader, to enhance participation and interaction.

The group then travelled to Zhengzhou for the second week of the course, which also saw a medley of lectures and hands on training. But most importantly, the trainees made their first field tour to the archaeological site of Shuanghuaishu in Henan province, located on a mound in Heluo town of Gongyi city, located 2km to the south bank of Yellow River and 4km to the east bank of Yiluo River.

According to the result of prospection, the area has reached 1.17 million square meters, and it has been found to be dating back to the middle - advanced stage of the Yanshao period (5300BP). The important discovery has been of the trebling large circle trenches, a big rammed earth relic, two tombs of Yangshao period, a distribution area of large house, and 13 sacrificial pits with plentiful or special antiques. This was witnessed by the trainees and the team on the ground, with a demonstration of 3D modeling and UAV technologies.