Beijing, Today, the Intangible Cultural Heritage Communication Research Center of Communication University of China (CUC) hosted the “2023 Online Capacity Building Workshop on Heritage Communication for World Heritage Sustainable Livelihood Pilot Sites.” This event, under the “Heritage So Young” initiative, aims to leverage new media for cultural heritage safeguarding and to engage the younger generation in heritage conservation and sustainable development.
According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the workshops, held on 28 October and 12 November 2023, were part of the fourth phase of the UNESCO – China Youth Development Foundation Mercedes-Benz Star Fund “Conservation and Management of World Heritage Sites in China.” Forty-three community leaders and living heritage bearers, including 27 women, from five pilot sites across China participated in the program.
The workshop sessions covered a range of topics, including the commercialization of living heritage crafts, industry chain development, and branding. Experts shared their knowledge on online influence and strategic breakthroughs in heritage communication. Notable speakers included ZHENG Fenlan, a leader in sustainable practice, and TANG Yu, Head of Taobao Live Broadcast E-commerce.
A significant feature of the 2023 workshops was the emphasis on youth involvement in heritage conservation. University volunteers were paired with community leaders and living heritage bearers to create influential new media profiles. This approach aligns with UNESCO’s goal of strengthening connections between young people and cultural heritage guardians.
The “Heritage So Young” initiative, set to continue in 2024, focuses on deepening the relationship between university students and community leaders for effective storytelling and promotion of World Heritage sites through new media. This initiative is pivotal in encouraging more young people to participate in heritage conservation and contribute to the sustainable development of World Heritage sites.