World Natural Heritage conference opens in Leshan

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-08-2007 09:58

Conservation is topping the agenda at the International Conference on World Natural Heritage. More than one hundred delegates from 30 countries and regions descended on southwest China's Sichuan province for the event.

Among the more than one hundred delegates are senior officials from UNESCO and officials of the Sichuan provincial government. They are meeting to discuss ways to enhance the protection of world heritage sites.

The city of Leshan itself boasts a world heritage site: the Leshan Giant Buddha. The province of Sichuan is also home to another major world heritage site; the Jiuzhaigou Scenic area, known for its rare giant pandas.

During the three-day meeting, delegates are focused on issues such as, conserving natural heritage sites and creating international cooperation for the survival of humanity and the world. The previous session of the conference was held in Aomori, Japan in 2005.

China joined UNESCO's Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage in 1985. China now boasts 35 sites on the world heritage list, the third highest number, next to Italy and Spain.

Editor:Xiong Qu