The first International Conference on Historic Urban Landscapes in China, which is jointly organized by Tongji University and WHITRAP Shanghai, was successfully held in October 12th to 13th. A total of 17 experts and scholars at home and abroad, including Ms. Lu Qiong, Deputy Director of Cultural Relics Protection and Archeology Department of State Administration of Cultural Heritage, and Mr. Joseph King, Director of Sites Unit of ICCROM, attended the conference and delivered keynote speeches.

As one of the event for the celebration of 40th Anniversary of World Heritage Convention, the Conference aims to interpret the concepts given by UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (General Conference Resolution 36C/41) adopted On 10 November 2011 UNESCO’s General Conference, and to analyze the potential role of this new instrument in those urban conservation and development programs in the complex context of the time. Meanwhile, the conference prepares a draft of Historic Urban Landscape Action Plan and its implementation in the context of China by exploring the HUL management at both theoretical and practical level, and discusses on the role to be played the institutions such as WHITRAP in HUL conservation, management, research, education and training, etc.

The participants conducted in-depth discussion on the six points in the Recommendation, including, among others, the latest techniques in the comprehensive mapping of urban heritage assets (including intangible heritage and its expressions); the current status and role of public participation and stakeholder consultations in China; the identification of attributes that carry urban heritage values and the assessment of the vulnerability of these attributes to socio-economic pressures and impacts of climate change; the integration of urban heritage values and their vulnerability status into a wider framework of city development; the prioritization of actions for conservation and development; as well as the establishment of the appropriate partnerships and local management frameworks for each of the identified projects for conservation and development, and the mechanisms development for the coordination of the various activities between different actors, both public and private.

In addition, based on WHITRAP Shanghai platform, Tongji University’s Advanced Research Center for Architecture and Urban and Rural Planning has developed a research group of “Historic Urban Landscape Assessment and Management” to provide advice and technical assistance to city authorities in China and the wider Asian region with regard to the application of the Historic Urban Landscape approach. As a kick-off meeting, this conference provides an important guiding significance for the program.