The 3rd Liangzhu Forum opened in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang province on Oct 18. [Photo/ehangzhou.gov.cn]

The 3rd Liangzhu Forum opened in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang province on Oct 18, with the theme "Revitalization of Civilization: Cultural Heritage and Human Culture Diversity."

The forum has attracted over 300 participants from more than 60 countries and regions, including heads of cultural heritage protection and management institutions, museum directors, archaeologists and historians.

"We need to ensure culture is fully recognized and resourced in global policy frameworks. Let us join our efforts when the culture becomes not a missing link, but the guiding light of sustainable development," Shahbaz Khan, director and representative to the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, said in a speech at the opening ceremony.

The year 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of China's accession to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage and the 20th anniversary of the adoption of UNESCO's Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. Events like the Liangzhu Forum are hailed by participants as crucial platforms for fostering global cooperation and revitalizing ancient civilizations.

"These forums allow us to learn from other countries' experiences and engage with different ideas," said Maria Guadalupe Espinosa Rodriguez, director of the Chichen Itza archaeological site in Mexico. "All these insights can then be applied to our local heritage projects — helping us to explore more diversified models for development."

"China makes clear that civilizations and their cultures are not only preserved in history," said Zurab Pololikashvili, secretary general of UN Tourism, adding that cultures which generate jobs, inheritance, festivals and creative industries — can be kept alive by craftsman, artists and communities.

This year's event includes one main forum, four sub-forums and six supporting activities. The four sub-forums will explore topics including the wisdom of ancient civilizations, archaeological site protection, museum innovation and world cultural heritage preservation.

During the forum, cultural activities such as the Liangzhu cultural and creative products market and a concert by Chinese and U.S. symphony orchestras will be held.

First discovered in 1936 in the lower reaches of China's longest river, the Yangtze, the Liangzhu ruins gained world heritage status in 2019. To date, more than 350 Liangzhu Culture sites have been discovered, bearing witness to the existence of Chinese civilization since over 5,000 years ago.

On Oct 17, a group of participants visited the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City. Egyptian writer Mansoura Mohammed Elsayed EzEldin experienced the VR project during the visit and shared her reflections.

"This visual journey made me feel as if I were seeing everything about the Liangzhu civilization with my own eyes — reminding me of the similarities between the Liangzhu civilization and ancient Egyptian civilization," she stated.

Herbert Francis Makoye, from Tanzania, also joined the tour. "This immersive experience felt incredibly real, as if I were witnessing with my own eyes the construction process of the ancient city. VR technology not only vividly preserves historical memory, but also safeguards the cultural heritage and pride of local people. It makes us realize that protecting Liangzhu means protecting our culture, faith and nation."

Makoye was also deeply impressed by the risk warning segment at the end of the project, noting that: "It reminds us of where we came from, what is happening now, and what we must do. This design instills practical educational significance into the ancient civilization."

Initiated in 2023, the Liangzhu Forum, co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the People's Government of Zhejiang Province, invites Chinese and foreign archaeologists, cultural experts and artists to engage in exchanges regarding cultural research and extended academic discussions.