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1. Decided during the 36th session of the International Co-ordinating Council, the governing body of UNESCO¡¯s Man and the Biosphere programme on 2-5 July, UNESCO newly designated 11 new biosphere reserves, 2 in East Asia: Khar Us Lake Biosphere Reserve (Mongolia) and Changnyeong Biosphere Reserve (Republic of Korea).

2. The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee concluded on 31 July in New Delhi, India. This year, the Committee inscribed 24 new sites and approved the extension of 2 sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List. In East Asia, there were 3 newly inscribed World Heritage Sites and 1 site extension: Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital (China), Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes (China), Sado Island Gold Mines (Japan) and Migratory Bird Sanctuary along the Yellow Sea Coast and Bohai Gulf of China (significant modifications to the boundaries, China).

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)

1. UNESCO fostering closer cooperation among UNEVOC Centres in China to advance the TVET Agenda

The five UNEVOC Centres in China held an on-line consultation meeting on 25 June to assess the progress and strengthen cooperation on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in China. The main objective was to establish a solid platform for dialogue and cooperation. The strategic collaboration among UNEVOC Centres in China is very critical to advance dialogue on TVET and skills agenda in China.

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2. UNESCO partners with UNESCO INRULED to Promote Digital Transformation of TVET and Sustainable Rural Development

As part of the 2024 Global Smart Education Conference, the TVET Leadership and Management Programme¡ªa capacity-building workshop for TVET stakeholders from Southeast Asian countries¡ªwas successfully held from 18 to 24 August. The workshop, themed ¡°Promoting Digital Transformation of TVET for Sustainable Rural Development,¡± aimed to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and best practices in TVET digital transformation and its role in sustainable rural development, while also enhancing leadership and management skills in these areas.

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Partnership

Fostering cooperation between UNESCO and Tohoku University through the signing of MOU

On 12 August, the Graduate School of Education at Tohoku University and the UNESCO Beijing formalized a new partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MOU signing signals a new era of cooperation. It symbolizes both parties¡¯ clear vision in promoting sustainable development goals and contributes to prosperity, socio-economic development to leave no one behind. The strategic partnership will focus on joint efforts in climate change, ocean sciences, environmental protection, education for sustainable development, teacher training, and disaster risk reduction, capitalizing on UNESCO and Tohoku University¡¯s technical expertise and experience.

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Work Achievements under the Gansu Revitalization and Innovation Project (GRIP)

1. UNESCO-Led Workshop in Gansu (China) Nurtures Inclusive Cultural Policies

As part of the technical support for Gansu province to leverage cultural heritage and creativity for sustainable development, UNESCO Beijing, in collaboration with the World Bank and the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, hosted a capacity-building workshop in the picturesque city of Zhangye, Gansu Province from 2 to 4 July 2024. The event aimed to foster effective cultural policies that resonate with the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Over 100 participants, comprising officials from Gansu's cultural bureaus, local enterprises, and community representatives, engaged in a series of diverse activities, encompassing lectures, case studies, group discussions, and a field visit.

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2. Dunhuang Forum Reaffirms Gansu¡¯s Commitment to Safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage

"Dunhuang Forum: Innovative Approaches and International Cooperation to Safeguard Intangible Cultural Heritage" was successfully concluded on 22 September 2024, demonstrating a fruitful partnership between UNESCO Beijing, UN Tourism, the World Bank, and the Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism. Organized within the framework of the 7th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, the Forum brought together 64 cultural experts, government representatives, academic researchers and community leaders from more than 10 countries to discuss innovative measures for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and new avenues for international cooperation.

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3. UNESCO-Led Capacity Building Workshop Shapes New Era of ICH Safeguarding in Gansu, China

In partnership with the World Bank and Gansu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, UNESCO convened a capacity building workshop ¡°Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage: Empowering Communities for Sustainable Economic Growth in Gansu¡± in Dunhuang City, Gansu Province, from 24 to 26 September. Organized under the framework of the GRIP project and actively participated by over 60 delegates, including government representatives, cultural experts and researchers, the workshop was designed to reinforce the understanding and execution of UNESCO's 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in the local context.

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Youth and Traditional Building Skills in Suzhou

1. Celebrating Youth¡¯s Power in Safeguarding Traditional Building Skills

In the heart of Suzhou's rich tapestry of culture and history, UNESCO Beijing, Suzhou Municipal Administrative Bureau of Gardens and Landscaping, and UNESCO Category 2 Center World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (Suzhou), organized the "Youth and Traditional Building Skills Symposium" on 15-16 July, Suzhou (China), a two-day event that spotlighted the dynamic interplay between youth empowerment and the preservation of traditional building skills. It was a gathering of over 120 dedicated participants, who shared insights and experiences across a spectrum of critical topics. The symposium also marked the celebration of World Youth Skills Day on 15 July, which was inaugurated by the United Nations 10 years ago.

On the margin of the symposium, Prof. Shahbaz Khan also held a meeting with the Party Secretary of the Suzhou CPC to discuss the future of the collaboration of between UNESCO and the city.

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2. Youth and Traditional Building Skills Excellent Cases Exhibition Tour: A Tribute to the 10th Anniversary of World Youth Skills Day

On 24 August, as an extension of the aforementioned Symposium, the "Youth and Traditional Building Skills Excellent Cases Exhibition Tour" was grandly inaugurated at Xinghai Experimental Junior High School in Suzhou Industrial Park. As a key part of the 2024 World Heritage Youth Education Joint Conference, this exhibition not only serves as a tribute to the 10th anniversary of International Youth Skills Day but also showcases the remarkable achievements of young people globally in protecting and inheriting traditional construction techniques.

3. Call for Participants | Capacity-Building Workshop for Traditional Architecture Conservation Skills in the Asia-Pacific Region

In the context of the above international exchange activities on ¡°Youth and Traditional Building Skills¡±, in November 2024, WHITRAP Suzhou will cooperate with UNESCO Beijing to hold a Capacity-Building Workshop for Traditional Architecture Conservation Skills in the Asia-Pacific Region, focusing on young practitioners, conservators and managers. The theme of this workshop is ¡°Conservation Practices of Traditional Architecture Construction Techniques - Field Training in Chaozhou¡±, which aims to explore the professional techniques of conservation and restoration of ancient buildings in China, and at the same time to conduct a systematic research on the inheritance and innovation of traditional construction techniques by combining the examples of ancient buildings in Chaozhou and Suzhou.

• Workshop date: 24-30 November 2024
• Host city: Chaozhou, China
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Work Achievements under the ¡°Accelerating Carbon Neutrality: Innovative Action for Sustainable Development" project

1. The 2024 Youth Forest Nature Education Activity in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park was successfully held on July 29^th in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, with the theme of "Focusing on Forests and Building a Beautiful China". 45 students from 17 cities in 11 provinces participated in this activity. The carefully designed itinerary allowed the students to fully appreciate the natural resource characteristics of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park and the Heilongjiang Province.

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2. The 2024 "Focusing on Forest, Exploring Mount Wuyi" Youth Forest Nature Education Activity was successfully held in the Wuyishan National Park from 15 to 19 August. 45 outstanding teenagers from 15 cities in 10 provinces across China participated in the 5-day education activity. Through science lectures, indoor classrooms, field visits, outdoor nature observation and other methods, the activities enhanced the youth's understanding of the natural and cultural resource endowment and biodiversity of Wuyi Mountain National Park, raised awareness of the protection of forests and biodiversity, and drove more public attention to national parks and nature education.

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Foster Science and Technology for All

From 23 to 25 August, 2024, the 2nd Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum & Deep-Sea Science and Technology Innovation Conference was held at Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City in Sanya, Hainan Province, China. With the theme "Gathering Wisdom in the Deep Sea, Sharing the Blue Ocean," the conference focused on cutting-edge issues in marine science and technology, exploration of marine civilization, marine ecological protection, and marine governance policies, aiming to foster the coordinated development of the marine economy and marine ecological conservation.

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Highlights of the 2024 International 91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ on Creativity and Heritage along the Silk Roads (IYF)

Since its inception in 2017, IYF has become an important platform to promote cross-cultural exchanges and cooperation among the youth of Belt and Road countries and beyond. This year, the forum is held from 22 to 28 September in the cities of Changsha and Nanjing, China. It aims to encourage young people worldwide to engage in the protection of cultural heritage, foster innovation and entrepreneurship, and contribute to building a shared future for mankind.

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Seminar on AI-Powered Accessibility: Redefining Digital Inclusion Held in Beijing

UNESCO Beijing and the Communication University of China (CUC) co-organized a Seminar on 25 September 2024 in celebration of CUC¡¯s 70th Anniversary. This Seminar, titled ¡°AI-Powered Accessibility: Redefining Digital Inclusion,¡± sought to explore how digital technology can enhance information accessibility and offer innovative solutions and service models for global information accessibility and digital inclusion. At the seminar, experts and scholars from around the world discussed their research and practices on AI-powered accessibility and the creation of a digitally inclusive society.

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Project ¡°Promoting Social Equality Within the Cultural and Creative Industries¡± Launched in Mongolia with IFCD Support

In 2007, Mongolia ratified the UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. With funding from the International Fund for Cultural Diversity (IFCD), established under the Convention, the Creative Industry Innovation Center (CIIC) will begin implementing the "Promoting Social Equality Within the Cultural and Creative Industries" project from July 2024 until December 2025.

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Work Achievements under the "Promoting Sustainable Tourism in Mongolia through Cultural and Geo Heritage" project

1. UNESCO Gathers Diverse Voices to Shape Sustainable Tourism in South Gobi, Mongolia

Under the auspices of the project, a multi-stakeholder consultation convened on 12-13 September 2024, in Khanbogd soum, South Gobi, Mongolia. The consultation charted a clear course toward sustainable tourism in South Gobi, driven by community involvement, respect for local traditions, and responsible development practices. 

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2. UNESCO ¨C Rio Tinto Partnership Officially Launched, Spearheading Sustainable Tourism in Mongolia 

In a significant move to bolster sustainable tourism, UNESCO Beijing, Rio Tinto Mongolia LLC, and the Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO officially launched the project ¡°Promoting Sustainable Tourism in Mongolia through Cultural and Geo Heritage¡± on 16 September. The event was a testament to the collaborative efforts aimed at harnessing Mongolia's cultural and geo heritage as a pillar for sustainable tourism growth.

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3. Series Initiatives Launch in Mongolia to leverage technologies in education 

On 20 September, UNESCO Beijing, in collaboration with the Mongolian Ministry of Education, launched initiatives aimed at driving educational innovation and technology integration in the UN House in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. These initiatives are expected to significantly enhance educational outcomes, bridge the digital divide, and contribute to both national and global education goals.

The launch event introduced ²Ñ´Ç²Ô²µ´Ç±ô¾±²¹¡¯²õ ICT in Education Master Plan alongside the Teachers¡¯ ICT Skill Capacity-Building Pilot Project and the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report (GEMR), highlighting how these initiatives coordinate one another. The ICT Master Plan, a forward-looking strategy aimed at integrating cutting-edge technologies into ²Ñ´Ç²Ô²µ´Ç±ô¾±²¹¡¯²õ education system, when aligned with the GEM Report¡¯s global benchmarks, showcases Mongolia's efforts to localize global standards in education technology.

Additionally, the Teachers¡¯ ICT Skill Capacity-Building Pilot Project, a joint initiative between ICDL Asia and UNESCO, was launched. The project aims to equip educators with essential ICT skills, thereby enhancing digital literacy in classrooms across Mongolia.

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Towards Inclusive Cultural Spaces: China Hosts Landmark Symposium on Museum Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities

In a significant stride towards cultural inclusivity and accessibility, UNESCO Beijing and the China Museums Association (CMA) co-hosted the Symposium on Museum Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities on 24 August 2024 during the 10th ¡°Museum Expo¡± to emphasize the equal right of all individuals to participate in cultural life. 

Call for Good Practices | Museums for Everyone: Innovative Practices in Accessibility and Inclusion

As a key activity under the "Accessible Museums for Persons with Disabilities" project, UNESCO Beijing and the Chinese Museums Association (CMA) are seeking innovative practices of universal accessibility among Chinese museums. We invite museums of all types to share existing policies and measures for enhancing accessibility for all visitors. This call will provide a platform for Chinese museums to demonstrate their innovative approaches to accessible services while promoting the good practices on a global level to continuously advance accessibility.

• Submission deadline: 15 November 2024
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