The fourth Liangzhu Forum opened Sunday in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province, to discuss challenges in cultural heritage conservation and paths to deepen international cooperation.
Themed "Bridging the Past and the Future: Safeguarding Cultural Heritage for Our Times," the forum brings together officials, archaeologists and scholars from about 60 countries and regions.
Experts and scholars will discuss topics ranging from early civilizations to archaeological research on ancient cities, with new research findings and advances also set to be unveiled.
"Liangzhu is a representative example of the early stages of our 5,000-year-old Chinese civilization. It represents a two-way dialogue. The origins of civilizations around the world take different forms, and scholars from all over the world who come here bring their experiences with them to exchange ideas and learn from one another. I believe the ultimate goal is to work together to safeguard human civilization," said Chen Xingcan, chairman of the Archaeological Society of China.
Participants will address challenges, including the loss of cultural heritage, advances in technologies for protecting and utilizing cultural relics, and sustainable tourism.
"The Liangzhu Forum serves as an important platform for cultural representatives from around the world to come together, giving us the opportunity to discuss issues related to cultural heritage preservation under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which is of great significance," said Lina Mendoni, Minister of Culture of Greece.
The forum brings together four international organizations: UNESCO, based in Paris; the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property, headquartered in Rome; the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia, based in Beijing; and the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage, headquartered in Geneva.
The year 2026 marks the 90th anniversary of the discovery of the Liangzhu ruins. A special exhibition commemorating the milestone and a photo exhibition featuring China's top ten archaeological discoveries in 2025 were held on the sidelines of the forum.
In addition, several new archaeological research findings were released during the forum.
"A wide range of research findings were released, including those resulting from international collaborations, specialized studies, and large-scale research projects, covering all aspects of our archaeological work. We also hope that the general public will have more opportunities to gain a comprehensive understanding of Liangzhu through these findings," said Wang Ningyuan, a research fellow at Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology.
This year's event includes an opening ceremony and main forum, five sub-forums and five companion events, including an international artists' creative tour exhibition, a Liangzhu cultural and creative market, a design exhibition and international dialogues.
Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019, the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City offer important evidence of an early regional state that flourished more than 5,000 years ago.
The inaugural forum was held in Hangzhou in 2023. The fourth edition runs through Tuesday and is co-hosted by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Zhejiang provincial government.
Liangzhu forum opens, highlights heritage conservation, int'l cooperation
