On April 27, China-France Dialogue: Mutual Learning Between Chinese and French Civilizations – Protection, Inheritance and Utilization of Gulangyu was held in Gulangyu Island, Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian Province. The forum was sponsored by the China International Publishing Group and Xiamen Municipal People’s Government, and organized by China Today magazine, Foreign Affairs Office of the Xiamen Municipal People's Government and the Gulangyu-Wanshi Mountain Scenic Area Management Committee.
China-France Dialogue: Mutual Learning Between Chinese and French Civilizations – Protection, Inheritance and Utilization of Gulangyu is held in Gulangyu Island, Xiamen, Fujian Province on April 27.
Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Director of the UNESCO Office in Beijing and UNESCO Representative to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Japan, Mongolia, People’s Republic of China, and the Republic of Korea Shahbaz Khan, Vice President and Editor in Chief of China International Publishing Group Gao Anming, and Vice Mayor of Xiamen Lin Jian attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered speeches. Former French Minister of Culture and the Chairmen of the Nice World Heritage Nomination Team Jean-Jacques Aillagon and a dozen other Chinese and French experts and scholars from the architectural heritage protection field conducted in-depth discussions on the topic of protecting, inheriting, and utilizing the Gulangyu Island (called Kulangsu in the local dialect), a picturesque cultural wonder in Xiamen City.
The China-France dialogue attendees pose for a group picture.
In July 2017, "Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement" was officially inscribed on the World Heritage List, making the island China's 52nd world heritage site. After visiting the beautiful island in 2017, then Director-General of the UNESCO Irina Bokova acclaimed, “This Island gives us hope that the coexistence of architectural styles can inspire us and lead us to the peaceful coexistence of cultures. It offers physical proof of intercultural richness, and we need this message more than ever today.” Now, more than a thousand buildings featuring diversified styles and fusing Chinese and Western elements stand on the small island which occupies an area of less than two square kilometers. France is home to numerous cultural heritages, boasting rich experience in ancient architecture conservation, restoration, and cultural heritage management. The China-France dialogue aims to pool wisdom and practices in cultural heritage protection to promote the protection, inheritance, and proper utilization of Gulangyu via exchanges and discussion among Chinese and French experts and scholars.
