The 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation was held from September 4 to 6. It brought together high-ranking officials from China and 53 African countries, including heads of state, prime ministers, and foreign and economic cooperation ministers, delegation leaders, as well as the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
On September 6, during the China-Africa-UNESCO Dialogue on Education and Cultural Heritage Protection, Ding Xuexiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau and Vice Premier of the State Council, delivered a keynote speech. Ding underscored China's commitment to collaborating with UNESCO to launch a Heritage Protection Trust Fund aimed at enhancing Africa's cultural heritage preservation efforts.
Scheduled to run from October 2024 to December 2026, the China-Africa-UNESCO Trust Fund Project aims to advance initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, including the China-Africa Cultural Cooperation Plan, capacity-building actions, and cultural exchange programs. The project will assist African nations in nominating World Heritage sites, providing education on cultural and natural heritage, and developing the professional skills of their young specialists.
Associate Professor Zhang Rouran from the School of Architecture & Urban Planning at Shenzhen University (SZU) was selected by the National Commission of China for UNESCO from a competitive pool of candidates from Chinese universities and research institutes and approved by UNESCO. Since January 2024, Zhang, representing SZU, has been appointed by the Ministry of Education as a P4-level project coordinator at UNESCO's World Heritage Centre in Paris. Zhang played an instrumental role in organizing this dialogue and will oversee the execution of the China-Africa-UNESCO Trust Fund Project (2024-2026). This endeavor is expected to significantly enhance SZU's global influence in cultural heritage protection.
