On June 28, Ms. SHAO Yong, Executive Director of WHITRAP Shanghai, participated in the WHIPIC Roundtable Dialogue: The Role and Vision of Capacity Building in World Heritage Interpretation. The International Centre for the Interpretation and Presentation of World Heritage Sites under the auspices of UNESCO (WHIPIC) organized the roundtable dialogue.

2023 UNESCOWHIPIC Roundtable Dialogue, event cover

The future of interpretation and presentation of World Heritage, and the future of capacity building are crucial topics in the present day. Interpretation connects heritage and people, and capacity building is a catalyst for achieving inclusive heritage interpretation.

Three experts working in capacity building for World Heritage interpretation were invited to attend the roundtable dialogue, including Ms. SHAO Yong (Executive Director of WHITRAP Shanghai), Ms. Haeree SHIM (Head of Education and Networking office, WHIPIC), and Ms. Valya STERGIOTI (Training Coordinator, Interpret Europe). Ms. Sujeong LEE moderated the roundtable dialogue.

During the dialogue, three experts talked about the goals of capacity building in their respective, why it is important, projections for World Heritage interpretation capacity building in the next 50 years, and comprehensive collaboration plans for the future.

Ms. SHAO Yong presented WHITRAP and its capacity building programs being undertaken to prepare for the next 50 years of World Heritage interpretation. WHITRAP prioritizes capacity building strategies in the Asia-Pacific region. This is followed by Historic Urban Landscape, Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), World Heritage Asset and Sustainable Tourism Management, Cultural Heritage Planning, and World Heritage Education. WHITRAP’s mission is to strengthen the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Asia and the Pacific region.

Ms. SHAO Yong presenting

Ms. Haeree SHIM and Ms. Valya STERGIOTI respectively introduced the goals of capacity building programs in their organization. WHIPIC aims to contribute to accelerating sustainable development through the conservation and promotion of a World Heritage Site achieved by three specific main goals. Interpret Europe tries to develop the competencies and skills required to develop and implement value-based interpretation.

The video of the roundtable is available on WHIPIC’s official YouTube channel. The dialogue can also be read in INTERPRETING WORLD HERITAGE, a periodical published on August 30, 2023.


To watch the video of the roundtable, please click:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpQMwFgnNxc

To read the periodical, please click:
https://unesco-whipic.org/periodicals/?q=YToxOntzOjEyOiJrZXl3b3JkX3R5cGUiO3M6MzoiYWxsIjt9&bmode=view&idx=16181529&t=board