Pingyao county held a ceremony to mark the 20th anniversary of the Ancient City of Pingyao's designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Dec 3.

The Ancient City of Pingyao was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the 21st session of the World Heritage Committee in Italy in 1997.

A ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the Ancient City of Pingyao becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site takes place in Pingyao on Dec 3. [Photo/pingyao.gov.cn]

Zhang Fuming, vice-governor of Shanxi province, recognized efforts over the years to protect the historical site, hand down local culture and keep the ancient UNESCO World Heritage Site alive.

He expressed his hopes that Pingyao will prioritize heritage protection, and called on more locals to join in and advance the revival of the ancient city’s culture to further preserve the World Heritage Site.

Zhang Fuming, vice-governor of Shanxi province, addresses the ceremony for the 20th anniversary of the Ancient City of Pingyao becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Dec 3. [Photo/pingyao.gov.cn]

Experts in related fields and representatives of domestic cultural heritage sites, such as the Old Town of Lijiang, Mount Wutai and Yungang Grottoes, attended the memorial.

"The Ancient City of Pingyao plays an important role in the definition and management of high-end cultural relics and sets a good example to the whole country and the world in protecting cultural relics," said Simone Ricca, a representative of the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO.

Simone Ricca, a representative of the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO, delivers a speech at the ceremony on Dec 3. [Photo/pingyao.gov.cn]

To honor the four people who contributed a lot to Pingyao's application for UNESCO World Heritage status, the Pingyao government presented souvenirs to the families of the four at the ceremony and announced that four roads around the Ancient City of Pingyao will be named after the four people –– Ruan Yisan, Wang Jinghui, Luo Zhewen, Zheng Xiaoxie.

A launch ceremony for Pingyao International Sculpture Festival which will open in 2018 was also held during the ceremony.