UNESCO Picks China for Heritage Training Institute

UNESCO has picked China as the first country to set up its World Heritage Institute of Training and Research-Asia Pacific (WHITR-AP) under the World Heritage Center (WHC).

“The major function of WHITR-AP in China is to complement the activities of the WHC by providing capacity-building and research programs at the regional level in Asia Pacific,” said Francesco Bandarin, director of WHC at its recent inauguration.

Operating from there sub-centers based at Tongji University in Shanghai, Peking University in Beijing and Suzhou University in Suzhou, China will be the first country to have such an institute.

Tongji University will be responsible for training in the protection of cultural heritage, while Peking University in Beijing for training in the protection of natural heritage, and Suzhou University in Suzhou for training in the protection of endangered craftsmanship.

In addition, WHITR-AP will organize symposiums and conferences, establish a comprehensive data base, and disseminate research information through its publications, both at the regional and international levels.

There are 174 properties in Asia Pacific listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites under the WHC, including 35 in China. Latest additions to the list from Asia Pacific include the Sydney Opera House and Jeju volcano islands and lava tubes in Korea.