Balancing heritage, conservation and access

Conversations around cultural heritage conservation rarely begin with admiration for the beauty of historical sites or artifacts. More often, they start with the difficult questions surrounding how to protect them.

That was the focus of a roundtable on the Policy Dialogue and International Cooperation Mechanism for Cultural Heritage Protection, held on Wednesday in Jinzhong, Shanxi province. To open the discussion, the moderator asked panelists how cultural heritage could reach a wider audience while managing the risks that may come with greater exposure.

Back Istvan, the Hungarian National Museum's representative in China, said he has witnessed the transformation of China's museums over the past two decades, and what has impressed him most is the dramatic rise in visitor numbers at museums and other cultural institutions nationwide.

"Today, no matter which museum you walk into, it is full of people," Istvan said. He visited the Shanxi Museum the previous day and was struck by the crowds.

But drawing visitors is only part of the mission, he said. "If people leave the museum simply thinking the exhibits are beautiful and buying a souvenir, then we haven't accomplished what we set out to do."

The goal of heritage conservation, he said, is to deepen the public's understanding of history rather than allowing technology or commercial attractions to overshadow the stories artifacts tell.

Gao Jun, an associate professor at Sun Yat-sen University's School of Tourism Management, said his research in ethnic group villages has highlighted the delicate balance between preserving traditional culture and creating opportunities for residents.

Gao pointed to a project in a village within the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Southwest China's Yunnan province. Instead of simply encouraging residents to preserve their cultural heritage, researchers worked with the community to establish a tourism revenue-sharing mechanism.

"The biggest lesson we learned is that heritage conservation has to become part of everyday life and be embraced by the local community," Gao said.

Creating jobs close to home has become an increasingly significant part of that effort. Niu Xinyi, a project coordinator at the UNESCO International Research and Training Centre for Rural Education, shared the story of a young entrepreneur who returned to her hometown and trained 1,700 rural women to make traditional handicrafts, creating a new source of income for the community.

For Niu, the future of cultural heritage ultimately depends on the people. "It is people and their communities that keep heritage alive," she said.

The roundtable also brought together experts from countries including Mexico and Nicaragua to discuss digital preservation and the promotion of cultural heritage. Participants also exchanged views on Shanxi's experience in protecting cultural relics and historic buildings.

The event was one of three forums held during the International Cultural Heritage Protection Week, taking place in Shanxi from July 15 to 21. The other sessions focus on new ways to engage Generation Z (those born from the mid-1990s to early 2010s) with cultural heritage and to promote Chinese culture internationally. A series of events is being held throughout the week to strengthen global cooperation in cultural heritage conservation.