Photo: Courtesy of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration

The first multilateral conference for the protection of Asian cultural heritage - the Asian Dialogue for Cultural Heritage Conservation - is scheduled to be held on Wednesday and Thursday in Beijing, China's National Cultural Heritage Administration announced on Monday.

International organizations including UNESCO, the International Council of Museums and International Council on Monuments and Sites as well as representatives from more than 30 Asian countries will participate in the conference, which takes "Promoting Dialogue among Civilizations, Shaping the Future of Asia" as its theme.

At the conference, China will co-launch the Asian Alliance for Cultural Heritage Conservation with 10 other Asian countries, including Cambodia. The alliance will be the first ever international cooperation mechanism for the conservation of cultural heritage across Asia that China has initiated. 

Meanwhile, Recommendations on the Asian Initiative for Cultural Heritage Conservation, a guidance document for Asian countries to plan their conservation actions drafted by China and agreed upon by 28 participating Asian countries will be released at the conference. It will be the first international document for the protection of Asian cultural heritage.  

A fund established by the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation and the selection of some young ambassadors for the protection of Asian cultural heritage will also help to enhance the influence and publicity of the project. 

A digital exhibition themed on Asian cultural heritage and the Beijing Central Axis as well as an information platform developed by the National Cultural Heritage Administration will further the promotion.