Beijing Central Axis one-year report released at Paris forum

A one-year report on the Beijing Central Axis' inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List was released at a side event titled Digital Technologies for Sustainable Development of World Heritage Sites during the 47th World Heritage Committee session in Paris.

The forum was held on Saturday and attended by more than 120 representatives from over 20 countries.

The event was cohosted by the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage under the auspices of UNESCO, United Nations Satellite Centre, Beijing Central Axis Protection Foundation and Tencent Sustainable Social Value Organization.

In his speech, Mei Song, secretary-general of the Beijing Central Axis Protection Foundation, announced the release of the report.

According to him, in the past year, Beijing has made significant achievements in preserving and promoting the Central Axis. Efforts were made in public education, community engagement, public access of heritage, and the development of creative cultural products, such as providing relevant courses at schools and hosting the annual Beijing Central Axis competition.

The forum emphasized the vital role and the latest advances of digital technologies in the protection, management and sustainable development of World Heritage sites.

"Looking ahead, we hope to leverage the practical experience we've accumulated over more than a decade in digitally revitalizing cultural heritage, to contribute to the digital preservation of World Heritage sites worldwide," said Chen Juhong, Tencent vice-president.