Flowing Rivers, Converging Future · 2023 Yangtze Culture Forum was successfully held in Nanjing

The 2023 Yangtze River Culture Nanjing Forum was co-organized by UNESCO, Xinhua News Agency, the Publicity Department of CPC Committee of Jiangsu Province, and the Nanjing Municipal People's Government. It was successfully held at the Yangtze River International Conference Center from November 24 to 25.

Centering on promoting the common values of all mankind, the forum focused on discussion about the opportunities and challenges faced by river civilization, ecology, economy, and communication, discussed the sustainable development of rivers, and promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind. The forum consisted of main forum, 4 parallel forums and art co-creation activities. 

Nearly 400 guests were invited to this event, including representatives from international organizations such as UNESCO, representatives from embassies and consulates of river basin countries in China, representatives from world waterfront cities, senior experts from the Yangtze River basin, and representatives from international mainstream media.

Xin Changxing, Secretary of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee stated that the Jiangsu section of the Yangtze River has 10% of the national cultural preservation sites, 3 World cultural heritage items, 11 UNESCO intangible cultural heritage items list, and the most national-level historical and cultural cities, towns and blocks. These are valuable assets that we cherish all the more, and we are always striving to pass on these treasures both in material form and in our hearts.

Lv Yansong, editor-in-chief of Xinhua News Agency, said that Xinhua news will closely follow the profound cultural significance of the Yangtze River culture, continue to strengthen relevant investigation and research, choose innovative perspectives, dig good stories, and use the Yangtze River culture as a window to tell the world China's stories.

Han Liming, Secretary of Nanjing Municipal Party Committee, states that the confluence of the river and the sea has given Nanjing a confident and open character; the convergence of rivers has cultivated the character of Nanjing; The integration of the river and the city has shaped the spirit of innovation in Nanjing.

Gabriela Ramos, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, addressed in her video message that UNESCO will apply its 50 years of expertise in the field of water sciences to support Member States in raising awareness of sustainable water resources management, meanwhile UNESCO's Silk Roads programme will showcase the diverse cultural heritage of waterfront cities.

Prof. Shahbaz Khan, Director of the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, Tang Hongwu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Vice President of the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society, Eriberto Eulisse, Co-Founder and Head of The Global Network of Water Museum, Wang Wei, Member of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, delivered keynote speech on topics such as how rivers shape a common future, promoting the development of world urban civilization through mutual learning in the governance of rivers, realizing new models of ecosystem sustainability, and the civilization process of the entire Yangtze River Basin.

Theming on “Building a Global Consensus on a Community of River Culture Cities for Shared Futures”, Prof. Shahbaz Khan delivered a keynote speech in the main forum emphasizing the value of water and the cultural aspects that river civilization addressed to the world. By emphasizing threats and challenges faced by water civilization, Prof. Khan called for the attention of water innovation and creativity, and recommended actions and suggestions for the sustainable development of the river civilization. 

Experts and scholars from various fields discussed and shared cases around topics of “Conservation and Inheritance of River Basins Culture”, “Sustainable Development of Urban Watersides Shaping the Future of Urban Waterfronts”, and “River Ecology and Sustainable Development: Achieving Harmonious Coexistence between Humans and Nature”. 

Prof. Mu Jianxin, senior consultant at UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for East Asia, presented case analysis “Integrated Water Resources Management in the Yellow River Basin under Changing Environment” in the main forum. 

The achievement of the forum “Report on Flowing River, Converging Future” was released. The organizing committee consulted the largest common number of participants through extensive correspondence, discussions, initiatives, formed the Nanjing Declaration of Yangtze River Culture, which was read out and released by Prof. Shahbaz Khan at the forum.  

Yangtze Culture Forum reach consensus through rich dialogues and discussions on common global issues related to rivers, gather the mighty power of the international community, promote building the shared future for mankind.