Over
80 young people from 65 countries have adopted an international Declaration
affirming their desire to promote peaceful coexistence and sustainable
development through recognition and celebration of the Silk Roads.
At
an International Youth Forum held in Changsha and Quanzhou, China, from 17 to
22 April 2017, participants agreed to expand their engagement in protecting and
preserving tangible and intangible cultural heritage and to promote creativity
in their respective home countries, in line with UNESCO's Operational Strategy
on Youth (2014-2021). In their
Declaration, the youth called for promotion of youth organizations and the
creation of cultural festivals, greater protection of cultural heritage
including the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural objects, and
promotion of sustainable tourism along the Silk Roads including programs that
can provide youth employment opportunities in Silk Road Countries.
Over the course of six days, youth delegates exchanged
with international experts, visited heritage sites, experienced different forms
of intangible cultural heritage and creative arts, and debated on how young
people could strengthen their participation in the preservation and protection
of culture.
The Forum was organized by UNESCO and the Chinese
National Commission for UNESCO, in collaboration with the Municipalities of
Changsha and Quanzhou.
Link to original
article: http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1657
