“Big Data for Sustainable Development of World Heritage Sites” side event during 46th session of the World Heritage Committee

The 46th UNESCO World Heritage General Conference was held from July 21-31 in New Delhi, India.During the conference, the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage under the Auspices of UNESCO (HIST), International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), UNOSAT, China Heritage Fund and Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage co-organized a side event with the theme “Big Data for the Sustainable Development of World Heritage” on 26 July. “Big Data for Sustainable Development of World Heritage” on July 26th. Qin Changwei, Secretary General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, Academician Guo Huadong, Director of HIST (video), Marie-Laure Lavenir, Director General of ICOMOS, and Guy Debonnet, Director of the Natural Heritage Department of the UNESCO World Heritage Center, were among the guests who attended and delivered speeches. Academician Guo Huadong expressed his warm welcome to all participants in his speech. He said that HIST has established partnerships with international organizations such as ICOMOS and more than 50 countries.

He said that HIST has established partnerships with international organizations such as ICOMOS and more than 50 countries, carried out more than 70 scientific research projects in more than 30 countries, and trained more than 500 heritage-related professionals in more than 30 countries, which has effectively enhanced the capacity of the relevant countries in the conservation and management of heritage sites. Meanwhile, HIST has also taken the lead in proposing and promoting the construction of the discipline of spatial archaeology. He suggested that digital technology be utilized in the future to strengthen international interdisciplinary research and technology application, international collaborative conservation and capacity building of multi-brand listed heritage.

Mr. Qin Changwei, Secretary General of HIST, said in his speech that China, as a State Party to the World Heritage Convention, has made significant contributions to the conservation of world heritage, and that HIST is a category 2 center that China has applied to UNESCO for the establishment of. Since its establishment, HIST has made remarkable achievements in international scientific research, capacity building and academic exchanges, and has been widely recognized by UNESCO and relevant member states. The Chinese National Commission for UNESCO will continue to support HIST and other partners to enhance the conservation of world heritage worldwide.

Mr. Chu Jianhao, Deputy Director of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage, Mr. Nicholas Clarke, Advisor of ICOMOS, Mr. Manuel Fiol, Senior Analyst of UNOSAT, Mr. Rohit Jigyasu, Project Manager of ICCROM, Mr. Fu Bihong, Deputy Director of HIST, Mr. Luo Lei, Associate Researcher, Director of the Research Department, Mr. Shu Zhan, Representative of the Asian Cultural Heritage Protection Fund of the China Cultural Heritage Fund, and other experts introduced the digitalization of cultural heritage. Shu Zhan and other experts introduced the digital protection of cultural heritage, big data for sustainable development of heritage, and discussed the topics of heritage risk monitoring and management, and reached a consensus on the establishment HIST successfully organises side event on "Big Data for World Heritage Sustainability" at the 46th World Heritage Assembly of emergency monitoring and assessment mechanism for natural disasters in heritage sites. The conference attracted the participation of international organizations such as UNESCO, the three advisory bodies of the World Heritage Convention and representatives from more than 20 countries including China, the United States, France, Australia, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Tanzania. The meeting emphasized the important role of big data in heritage protection, management and sustainable development, and promoted international exchanges and cooperation among relevant international organizations, States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, management bodies of heritage sites, and scientific research institutes, so as to jointly utilize big data technology to promote the protection of world heritage