The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the eleventh of which is "Sustainable Cities and Communities", namely: Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. 

Under this major goal, there are ten targets, the fourth of which is "Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage".

● Current Situation

About the World

Lack of Attention to Cultural And Natural Heritage

Photo source: The Enviroment

The way urbanization is planned and managed has a direct impact on the protection and safeguarding of the world’s cultural and natural heritage. Sustainable tourism, the cultural and creative industries, and heritage-based urban revitalization have proven to generate green employment, stimulate local development and foster creativity. However, budgets and infrastructure are often not allocated to support the aims and objectives of cultural and heritage references in the development plans in many countries. Moreover, there is a poor record of civil society participation and partnership in the implementation of plans and strategies that exist to support cultural and heritage preservation.

Text source: unhabitat.org

About China

Raise Full Awareness of Heritage Protection

China has 55 world heritages, including 37 world cultural heritages (including 5 world cultural landscapes), 14 world natural heritages and 4 world cultural and natural heritages. In 2006, China established the second Saturday in June every year as Cultural Heritage Day, and in 2017 changed to Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. The establishment raises people's awareness of the importance of cultural and natural heritage protection and mobilizes the whole society to participate in protecting cultural heritage.

Text source: cn.cccweb.org

●  Cases

About the World

UN-Habitat Rehabilitates Historic Buildings in Lebanon

The huge blast at Beirut’s port in August 2020 damaged hundreds of buildings in the Lebanese capital’s historic quarters of Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhaël. UN-Habitat Lebanon partnered with British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund were working with shelter sector partners to identify and renovate the buildings to ensure that they are structurally sound and to preserve city’s balance of traditional and modern architecture.

UN-Habitat is using its experience earlier this year in Haddadine, Tripoli and the Old Town of Saida where it rehabilitated 36 historic buildings comprising 110 units ranging from 300 to 450 years old. 

In addition to the physical upgrading of the buildings and the enhancement of livelihoods and communal well-being, the project included capacity building and awareness raising activities. To promote the importance of preserving cultural heritage, UN-Habitat held a five-day training session for 45 local volunteers in each neighbourhood, which was followed by the development of an awareness booklet including basic instructions on how to protect historical buildings.

A 3D tour was designed to guide virtual visitors around the historic neighbourhoods of Haddadine and Old Saida. Meanwhile, 32 youths participated in a six-day training to become touristic companions, enabling them to take visitors through the tourist trails developed by the project which will provide them with employment. The touristic trails formed a part of the larger touristic booklets for both areas.

Text source: unhabitat.org

About China 

Shenzhen Yanzao Ancient Village

Yanzao ancient village is located in Baguang, Dapeng, Shenzhen. It is a typical ancient Hakka seashore village of tranquility and beauty. Yanzao village was first built in the Ming Dynasty and the only village where the original site of Baguang community has been preserved. The pond in front of the village house is still the same, with its exquisite carved roofs and low wooden doors. 

Along the seaside behind the ancient houses in the village, there is a hub of ancient heritiera littoralis with an area of about 2 hectares. It is the most intact, oldest and largest natural ancient heritiera littoralis hub in China and is listed as one of the key national protection zones of rare plants. Ancient heritiera littoralis and other mangrove plants make up of a complete wetland ecosystem, in which more than 50 kinds of wild birds inhabit. It is Shenzhen’s invaluable natural heritage, with high ecological protection and scientific research value.

Text source: sznews.com

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On 1 January, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.