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People's Daily Online, Dunhuang, August 19 (Reporter Wei Yanxing) On August 19, the 2024 International Forum on the Protection of Grottoes and Temples opened in Dunhuang, Gansu. Grottoes and temples protection research experts from 16 countries will focus on the theme of "promoting the exchange of 'Silk Road culture' and building the dream of 'Belt and Road' construction" for discussion and exchange.

The opening ceremony of the 2024 International Forum on the Protection of Cave Temples. Photo by Wei Yanxing, a reporter from People's Daily Online

Guan Qiang, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said at the opening ceremony that grotto temples are the crystallization of civilization exchanges and mutual learning and historical witnesses. Chinese grotto temples demonstrate the outstanding continuity, innovation, unity, inclusiveness and peace of Chinese civilization. After more than 70 years of efforts, major dangers in China's important grotto temples have been basically eliminated, and the exploration and practice in the protection and repair of the grotto temples, the reinforcement of carriers and environmental governance, digital preservation and monitoring have been fruitful. The comprehensive protection concept of Chinese grotto temples that integrates "value interpretation-monitoring and early warning-environmental control-disaster governance-protection and restoration" has become a consensus, the level of protection and utilization of grotto temples has been significantly improved, and the cultural influence has been increasingly enhanced.

During the forum, Wang Xudong, member of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Director of the Palace Museum, Song Xinchao, Chairman of the China Ancient Monuments and Sites Protection Association, Liu Hanlong, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Professor of Chongqing University, Ling Ming, Director of the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage, and Su Bomin, Director of the Dunhuang Academy, delivered keynote speeches. At the same time, three sub-forums will be held on the concepts and technologies of cave temple protection, archaeology and value interpretation, and management and capacity building to build consensus and gather wisdom from all parties.

The opening ceremony also featured a launch ceremony for the international cooperation between the Dunhuang Academy and relevant cultural relics and archaeological research institutions in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and other countries, as well as a book presentation ceremony for the opening ceremony of the Afghan Archaeology and Cultural Relics Protection Senior Talent Training Course.