2024“一带一路”青年创意与遗产论坛系列活动亮点速递

2024一带一路青年创意与遗产论坛开幕式 © 黄启晴

副省长、市长周海兵在开幕式上表示，文化是城市的根与魂，青年是城市发展的希望。他期盼各国青年代表以此次活动为契机，坚持文化先行，弘扬丝路精神，主动融入“一带一路”建设，并引导更多的青年人才来长沙追梦圆梦，共同答好文化和旅游、文化和科技“两个融合”命题，共同开辟文化创意新天地，携手构建更加紧密的人类命运共同体。论坛期间，与会者将通过一系列丰富多彩的活动，包括开幕式、高级别论坛、中外青年联欢晚会、青年分享会、“创意城市网络”成员城市代表平行论坛、成果说明会等，深入探讨和交流。此外，还将组织长沙非遗文化体验、夜游天心阁、“文化+科技”融合展示等活动，让参会嘉宾零距离感受世界“媒体艺术之都”长沙的独特风采。

9月22日，来自53个“一带一路”沿线国家的60名青年代表在长沙梅溪湖国际文化艺术中心展开了丰富多彩的破冰活动。通过制作文化衫、面对面自我介绍等互动环节，青年们不仅增进了相互了解，也为后续的深入交流奠定了基础。

破冰活动 © 黄启晴

在高级别论坛上，湖南大学设计艺术学院教授何人可以《数字化全球化媒体时代的文化遗产与保护》为题，展示了数字化技术在文化遗产保护中的创新应用。北京师范大学-香港浸会大学联合国际学院文化与创意学院院长庄以仁分享了如何通过技术来推动文化遗产的传承保护。联合国教科文组织协会亚太联合会主席李善珠讲述了文化遗产的品牌化。   

何人可教授（左上）、庄以仁教授（右上）、李善珠女士（下）在高级别论坛中 © 黄启晴

作为长沙的标志性景点，橘子洲头迎来了参与论坛的青年代表。他们在这里体验了长沙的自然美景和丰富的历史文化，感受了这座城市的独特魅力。  

青年代表们参观橘子洲头 © 黄启晴

嘉宾们有机会近距离观看湘绣省级代表性传承人黄笛和宝庆瓷刻传承人刘金铎的创作过程，并在长沙非遗馆戏园，跟随非遗传承人学习体验长沙非遗项目。通过亲手制作龙头面塑、窗花、中国结等，嘉宾们不仅体验了非遗技艺，更深刻感受到了非遗文化背后的深厚底蕴。

青年代表体验非遗活动

此次青年论坛还组织了丰富多彩的夜游和晚会活动，充分体验长沙作为媒体之都的独特美丽，感受传统文化与现代都市的完美融合。   

青年联欢晚会、夜游天心阁 © 黄启晴    

青年分享会上，来自不同国家的青年代表们围绕论坛主题，分享了各自的见解和经验。他们就如何利用创意和科技保护、传承文化遗产进行了深入的探讨和交流。

联合国教科文组织东亚地区办公室期待通过这一平台，进一步促进沿线国家青年的交流与合作，为推动构建人类命运共同体贡献青春力量。

青年会场合照 © 黄启晴

Highlights of the 2024 International Youth Forum on Creativity and Heritage along the Silk Roads (IYF) Series Activities

The 2024 International Youth Forum on Creativity and Heritage along the Silk Roads (IYF) officially opened in Changsha. 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 September 22 to 28 in the cities of Changsha and Nanjing, China. The event is co-hosted by UNESCO, the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, the World Federation of UNESCO Associations, and the municipal governments of Changsha and Nanjing. The theme of this year's forum, "Reimagining Our Heritage: Stories of Resilience and Transformation," 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.

Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO, and Chen Jie, Vice Minister of Education and Chairperson of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, delivered video messages at the opening ceremony. Zhou Haibing, Vice Governor and Mayor of Changsha, attended the opening ceremony. Qin Changwei, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, Du Yue, Secretary-General of the World Federation of UNESCO Associations, other city leaders, as well as 60 youth representatives from 53 countries, representatives from UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and youth volunteers also participated in the event.

In his speech, the Vice Governor and Mayor stated that culture is the soul and foundation of a city, and youth are its future. He expressed hope that young representatives would use this forum as an opportunity to prioritize cultural development, promote the spirit of the Silk Road, actively integrate into the Belt and Road Initiative, and attract more young talent to pursue their dreams in Changsha. He also emphasized the need to address the dual integration of culture with tourism and technology and to work together to build a closer community with a shared future for humanity.

During the forum, attendees will participate in a wide range of activities, including the opening ceremony, high-level forums, a China-foreign youth gala, youth sharing sessions, parallel forums for representatives of Creative Cities Network member cities, and presentations of outcomes. Additionally, cultural heritage experiences, a night tour of Tianxin Pavilion, and exhibitions showcasing the integration of culture and technology will allow participants to experience the unique charm of Changsha, a UNESCO City of Media Arts.   

On September 22, 60 youth representatives from 53 countries participated in icebreaker activities at the Changsha Meixi Lake International Culture and Arts Center, engaging in activities such as designing cultural T-shirts and face-to-face introductions. These activities helped foster mutual understanding and laid the foundation for further exchanges.

At the high-level forum, Professor He Renke from the School of Design and Art at Hunan University gave a presentation titled "Cultural Heritage and Protection in the Era of Digital Global Media," showcasing innovative applications of digital technology in heritage preservation. Eugene Chng, Dean of the School of Culture and Creativity at Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, shared insights on how technology can drive the transmission and protection of cultural heritage. Lee Sun-joo, Chairperson of the UNESCO Association of the Asia-Pacific Region, spoke about branding cultural heritage.

As a part of the forum, participants visited the iconic Orange Isle in Changsha, experiencing the city's natural beauty and rich history. Guests had the opportunity to observe provincial inheritors of Xiang embroidery and Baoqing porcelain carving at the Changsha Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum. They also engaged in hands-on activities with local artisans, learning traditional crafts such as making dough sculptures, paper cuttings, and Chinese knots. This gave participants a deeper appreciation of the cultural heritage embedded in these traditions.

The forum also organized night tours and gala activities, fully showcasing the vibrant blend of traditional culture and modern urban life in Changsha, a city renowned for its media arts.

During the youth sharing session, representatives from various countries shared their insights and experiences, discussing how creativity and technology can be used to protect and transmit cultural heritage.

UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia hopes that this platform will further promote youth exchange and cooperation among Belt and Road countries, contributing to the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind.