5th WHITRAP SHANGHAI World Heritage Dialogue

World Heritage Large Scale and Serial Properties

A different approach to defining Outstanding Universal Values

Wednesday 12October 2022

Online 14:00-16:30 Beijing time (UTC + 8)

English Channel on Bilibili Platform

Live-streaming link:

https://live.bilibili.com/4402597

English Channel on Wechat Platform

The online Dialogue will be in English with simultaneous interpretation in Chinese.

Video recordings of the Dialogue and a brief synthesis will be published online on the WHIRTAP and Herit-AP websites.

From 11 June to 16 November 2022, WHITRAP Shanghai will organize a series of 6 monthly online World Heritage Dialogues including a WHITRAP Herit-AP Chat, in July, hosted by the College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP) Tongji University (Shanghai, China) to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which was adopted on 16th November 1972 by the General Conference of UNESCO.

More info at http://www.whitr-ap.org/index.php?classid=1461&newsid=3341&t=show

On 12 October 2022 at 14.00-16:30 Beijing time (UTC+8), the 5th WHITRAP Shanghai World Heritage Dialogue will discuss “World Heritage Large Scale and Serial Properties -- A different approach to defining Outstanding Universal Values” through examples and case studies provided by experts from the Asia-Pacific region and around the world. In comparison to the other thematic dialogue themes focusing on the quality of life, rural heritage, heritage and the digital revolution, climate change and resilience, and the nature culture link, this Dialogue will focus mostly on the evolution of the Outstanding Universal Values of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List from the perspective of boundaries. Participants are invited to share perspectives based on their professional experience in their respective fields to discuss if scale, a serial and/or a transnational approach allows to differently define and identify what carries the Outstanding Universal Values of properties and in what way and what are the management opportunities and challenges of such large, serial and transnational properties.

The second half of the 20th century saw the evolution of a different approach to history focusing on long time spans, vast geo-cultural areas, complex social dimensions as well as the interaction between different areas of knowledge, which leads to considering different types of objects, their functional relations in time and space. 

The conceptual change was reflected not only on a different approach to understanding heritage but how its values could be identified by expanding not only size but considering different layers, characterizing different attributes, and reflecting on the complexity of sites and functional relationships as well as involving a variety of stakeholders.

The World Heritage List reflects this change of approach. To ensure consistency and manageability for sites either too huge or made of too many components, the Committee has adopted detailed principles defined in the Operational Guidelines on serial and transboundary or transnational properties, whilst in the spirit of article 6 and of the Convention cooperation is encouraged between States Parties.

The 5th Dialogue will look in detail at a selection of 5 cultural World Heritage properties, including the Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor, the Architectural Work of Le Corbusier: an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement, the Grand Canal, the Great Wall, and the Great Spa Towns of Europe. Each of these illustrates a specific approach and will allow to trigger a reflection on the evolution of World Heritage Outstanding Universal Value, its safeguard and the management of properties in relation to the concerns and challenges of today's world, namely climate change, conflicts, COVID, mass tourism, social inequity, etc. In doing so this Dialogue wants to contribute to imagining a way forward for the next 50 years.

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Agenda

Wednesday 12 October2022

Online 14:00-16:30 Beijing time (06:00-08:30 UTC)

14:00-14:15 Introduction

Marie-Noël TOURNOUX, Project Director, WHITRAP Shanghai

Introduction

Presentation of the participants

Group Photo

14:15-14:35 World Heritage Large Scale Properties

YAN Haiming, Associate Research Fellow at China Academy of Cultural Heritage, Director of ICOMOS ChinaSecretariat

14:35-15:15 Pecha Kucha

·       NISHI Kazuhiko, Chief Senior Specialist for Cultural Properties Office for International Cooperation on Cultural Heritages Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan

·       Dr Sangeeta BAGGA, Principal, Chandigarh College of Architecture, Chandigarh, India

·       GUANG Xiaoxia, Associate Research Curator on Cultural Relics and Museum of Yangzhou World Heritage Conservation and Management Office (Grand Canal Heritage Conservation and Management Office)

·       ZHANG Yimeng, Associate Researcher, World Cultural Heritage Centre of China at the China Academy of Cultural Heritage

·       Paul SIMONS, Secretary General Great Spa Towns of Europe, United Kingdom

15:15-16:15 Round Table Discussion

Moderator: Marie-Noël TOURNOUX, Project Director, WHITRAP Shanghai

YAN Haiming, NISHIKazuhiko, Sangeeta BAGGA, GUANG Xiaoxia, ZHANG Yimeng, Paul SIMONS.

16:15-16:30 Wrap up

Prof. SHAOYong, Professor College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, China

16:30    Closing

Marie-Noël TOURNOUX, Project Director, WHITRAP Shanghai

Participants

Chair: Marie-Noël TOURNOUX, Project Director, WHITRAP Shanghai

Moderator: Prof. SHAO Yong, Professor College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, China

Participants:

YAN Haiming, Associate Research Fellow at China Academy of Cultural Heritage, Director of ICOMOS China Secretariat

NISHI Kazuhiko, Chief Senior Specialist for Cultural Properties Office for International Cooperation on Cultural Heritages Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan

Dr Sangeeta BAGGA, Principal, Chandigarh College of Architecture, Chandigarh, India

GUANG Xiaoxia, Associate Research Curator on Cultural Relics and Museum of Yangzhou World Heritage Conservation and Management Office (Grand Canal Heritage Conservation and Management Office)

ZHANG Yimeng, Associate Researcher, World Cultural Heritage Centre of China at the China Academy of Cultural Heritage

Paul SIMONS, Secretary General Great Spa Towns of Europe, United Kingdom

For more information, you may refer to the Booklet PDF.
 World Heritage Dialogues Session 5 World Heritage Large Scale and Serial Properties