The inaugural Beijing Culture Forum Salon commenced at the iconic Temple of Heaven, focusing on the theme of safeguarding and celebrating cultural heritage. This new initiative under the 2025 Beijing Culture Forum will unfold throughout the year, hosting a variety of activities including dialogues and seminars featuring cultural experts from both China and abroad, fostering a rich exchange of ideas.
Seventeen cultural venues across Beijing, like the Imperial Ancestral Temple and Qingcheng Palace, will serve as dynamic backdrops for upcoming salon activities. This initiative aims to invigorate and promote the use of Beijing’s remarkable historical and cultural spaces, transforming them into vibrant hubs of learning and exchange.
Diverse guests, including around 120 participants comprising officials and experts, engaged in substantial discussions about the global significance of cultural heritage and technological advancements in its preservation. The event featured an exhibition extolling Beijing’s intangible cultural heritage and innovative cultural products, illustrating the deep ties between history and modernity.
Irina Bokova, former UNESCO director-general, emphasised China’s commitment to preserving intangible heritage and intertwining traditional culture with contemporary settings as a means to foster social unity and belonging. She highlighted the role of technology in cultural conservation, asserting that China is poised to lead globally in sharing these advancements.
The former curator of the Palace Museum, Shan Jixiang, shared insights on China’s cultural heritage journey over the past four decades, noting the evolution from a focus on relics alone to a broader perspective encompassing living heritage. He pointed out that since joining the World Heritage Convention, China now boasts 59 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, showcasing a more holistic approach to cultural preservation.
Wang Chunfa, ex-director of the National Museum of China, proposed that museums should offer engaging exhibitions that enrich visitor understanding and appreciation of cultural contributions globally. This perspective highlights the necessity of interactivity in connecting audiences to their heritage.
Bokova reflected on her prior experience at the Beijing Culture Forum, noting the opportunity for the platform to enhance cultural preservation efforts while integrating these practices into urban development. She affirmed, “It’s an important initiative because Beijing is a cultural powerhouse.”
This year’s salon promises to elevate cultural discussions further, bringing together experts to foster collaboration and ongoing exchanges. As Bokova expressed, this initiative will generate momentum leading up to the next culture forum, emphasising the importance of international dialogue in cultural preservation.
The Beijing Culture Forum Salon began at the Temple of Heaven, focusing on cultural heritage protection. Hosted throughout the year, it will engage both local and international experts in various activities. Seventeen cultural venues will be utilised to promote Beijing’s rich heritage, supported by discussions on technological advances in heritage conservation. Key speakers highlighted China’s evolution in cultural heritage protection and emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration.
The Beijing Culture Forum Salon marks a significant step towards enriching the dialogue around cultural heritage preservation. By inviting both local and global experts, the forum aims to deepen understanding and enhance the use of historical spaces. With its focus on technological integration and community involvement, this initiative is set to lead cultural discussions that resonate well beyond China’s borders.
Original Source: www.chinadailyasia.com
