Global Heritage Forum 2025: The Impact of Heritage Conservation on Cultural Development

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests, 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a true honor to join you today in Beijing, a city whose very landscape embodies the theme of this Forum. Just last year, Beijing’s Central Axis was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, bringing China’s total to 59 World Heritage sites, the second highest in the world. But this milestone is about much more than recognition. It is about demonstrating how heritage conservation can inspire cultural pride, safeguard identity, and generate opportunities for generations to come.

The evidence is clear. Around the world, cultural and creative industries generate more than 2.25 trillion dollars each year, providing almost 30 million jobs. When a site gains World Heritage status, international tourism rises by an estimated seven to ten percent. Today, cultural tourism represents about 40 percent of all global travel, underscoring how heritage not only preserves memory, but multiples economic opportunity.

The United Nations has long recognized this potential. Through UNESCO and its partners, we have seen heritage-based tourism create sustainable livelihoods, especially for women and marginalized groups. Traditional crafts, supported through heritage programs, do more than preserve cultural knowledge. They provide dignified work, stable income, and a renewed sense of belonging for local communities.

China has been at the forefront of these efforts. Since 2007, the UNESCO-China Mercedes-Benz Star Fund has supported heritage conservation projects across the country with remarkable results. Over 8,650 people, 55 percent of them women, have benefited directly, while more than 52,000 community members have gained greater awareness of heritage conservation. Behind these numbers are real people whose lives and futures are being shaped through the preservation of culture.

Equally important, China is pioneering new technologies for heritage protection. Satellite monitoring systems are helping safeguard fragile sites, while digital documentation ensure that even endangered traditions can be preserved. But technology is not only about innovation. It is also about access. Digital platforms allow intangible cultural heritage to reach remote communities, ensuring traditions are not lost to time. 

The UN’s “Heritage So Young” campaign is another inspiring example. By engaging young people through social media and digital storytelling, it transforms them into active stewards of heritage. When youth connect to their cultural legacy, they do not simply inherit it, they carry it forward, revitalizing it for the future.

Yet we must also acknowledge the challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed the fragility of the heritage sector. At the height of the crisis, 95 percent of museums worldwide were forced to close. Visitor numbers at heritage sites plummeted by 60 percent, and admission revenues dropped by more than half. Financing remains uneven, and the digital divide continues to exclude too many communities from fully participating in cultural development.

But challenges also bring innovation. They remind us that we must invest in resilience, expand partnerships, and ensure heritage is inclusive and accessible for all.

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Heritage conservation is not only about safeguarding the past. It is about shaping the future. It is central to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, whether through promoting decent work, reducing inequalities, advancing gender equality, or fostering sustainable cities and communities. With the right investments, strong partnerships, and the active engagement of local people, heritage can become a powerful driver of sustainable development and cultural renewal.

The UN in China stands ready to support this vision. We will continue to build capacity, promote South-South cooperation, and share China’s valuable experience with the world. Together, we can ensure that heritage remains a living force — enriching lives, strengthening societies, and inspiring future generations.

Heritage is not simply a celebration of our past. It is, above all, an investment in our shared future.

Thank you.