2nd International Conference and Doctoral Colloquium of the 4 Universities Consortium on Cultural Heritage Law was held successfully
Date：2022/12/13 16:24:58
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the UNESCO Chair on Cultural Heritage Law at Renmin University of China, together with the UNESCO Chair in International Law and Cultural Heritage at the University of Technology Sydney, and the University of Kent and the University of Toulouse in the United Kingdom, held the 2nd International Conference and Doctoral Colloquium of the 4 Universities Consortium on ral Heritage Law on December 1-2, 2022. The Forum was hosted by the University of Technology Sydney, with a main venue in Sydney and an online session in Beijing. Nearly 100 experts, scholars and PhD students from China, France, UK, Australia, Poland, Iran and other countries participated in this conference.
The main forum was held on December 1, with the theme of "Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development" to discuss the international legal framework for cultural heritage and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on cultural heritage protection and sustainable development of society. The forum was opened by Professor Ana Filipa Vrdoljak of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Prof. Anita Stuhmcke, Dean of UTS Sydney Law School, Mr. Diwaka Prakash, Executive Secretary of Australian National Commission for UNESCO, Ms. Cui Ying, Deputy Secretary General of Chinese National Commission for UNESCO, and Prof. Du Huafang, Vice Dean of Renmin University of China Law School delivered speeches respectively. Mr. Diwaka Prakash expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the forum. He expressed that cultural heritage law is an important field of jurisprudence with strong attraction and development prospects, and hoped that the participating scholars would gain something from this forum. Ms. Cui Ying briefly introduced the achievements of China's cultural heritage protection and hoped that the forum would continue to promote international exchange and talent training in cultural heritage law, and expressed that the National Commission for UNESCO of China would further play a good coordination and liaison function and work together for cultural heritage protection and sustainable development. Professor Du Huanfang recalled the historical origin of 4 Universities Consortium on Cultural Heritage Law, pointed out that in the post-epidemic era, a new response to a series of legal and ethical issues facing the development of cultural heritage law is needed, and warmly invited participants from various countries to visit NPC Law School after the epidemic has subsided.
After the opening ceremony, the conference
entered into academic discussions. The participants focused on three
sub-topics: "Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development
Principles", "Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Development and Human
Rights", and "Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Development and
Peace". The three sub-themes, "Cultural Heritage and Sustainable
Development Principles," "Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Development
and Human Rights," and "Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Development
and Peace," were discussed in depth, including the role of sustainable
development principles in cultural heritage protection, the relationship
between cultural human rights and sustainable development, the cultural
heritage rights of indigenous communities, and the role of cultural heritage
return on social development. Professor Wang Yunxia from the Law School of
Renmin University of China moderated the third module of the seminar. Prof.
Wang Yunxia, together with Dr. Hu Shanchen, a faculty member of the Law School
of Central University for Nationalities, Prof. Tian Yan of the Law School of
Central University for Nationalities, Associate Prof. Wang Xiaokun of the
School of History of Renmin University of China, and Prof. Gao Sheng of
Shandong University of Science and Technology, made keynote speeches.
Professor Ana Filipa Vrdoljak delivered the closing remarks in the main session. She pointed out that this session focused on the theme of the role and challenges of cultural heritage in sustainable development, and explored many important and critical issues in the protection and utilization of cultural heritage, especially the related rights and legal issues. The excellent sharing of experts and scholars at the conference is an important reference for promoting the synergy between international cultural heritage law and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
After the main conference at the University of Technology Sydney adjourned at 3:00 pm due to the time difference, more than 30 Chinese scholars continued the roundtable discussion on "Cultural Heritage and Sustainable Development: A Chinese Perspective". Experts and scholars expressed their views on the global perspective of cultural heritage protection and the translation of domestic laws, the problems of current domestic legislation and government-led models, the balance of rights and interests of cultural heritage, and the regulation of platforms for digital protection of cultural heritage; some scholars also discussed specific ideas of cultural heritage protection from a micro perspective based on the topics of non-heritage tea culture, non-heritage protection in the Yellow River Basin, and local red resources legislation. Other scholars discussed specific ways to protect cultural heritage from a micro perspective, contributing diverse perspectives to the development of cultural heritage protection and cultural heritage jurisprudence. In his concluding remarks, Prof. Wang Yunxia pointed out that cultural heritage law is an emerging, developing and interdisciplinary field, and this forum broadened our international academic horizon and promoted in-depth research on cultural heritage law, and we look forward to face-to-face offline exchanges after the epidemic is over.
This year's 4 Universities Consortium on Cultural Heritage Law was the first time to set up a doctoral colloquium, which was held on December 2, with the theme of "New Developments in International Cultural Heritage Law". At the opening ceremony, Prof. Ana Filipa Vrdoljak of UTS Law School and Prof. Isabella Alexander, Director of UTS HDR, welcomed and encouraged the young scholars to participate in this forum, and suggested that the current research on cultural heritage law should pay attention to the different needs of the academia and the public. Professor Lucas Lixinski of the University of New South Wales, Australia, gave the opening lecture of the PhD Forum, entitled "Cultural Heritage Law: Support, Renewal and Revolution", reflecting on some of the main issues of the existing research on cultural heritage law: inherent value of heritage, authenticity, human rights and their interrelationship. He pointed out that as a legal researcher, it is necessary to better protect cultural heritage and cultural identity, pay attention to the real social problems mapped by cultural heritage, abandon outdated concepts, look forward to new directions and discover new values.
After the opening lecture, fourteen doctoral candidates from various countries gave keynote speeches on "The relationship between cultural heritage law and other areas of law", "The return of lost cultural objects", "The right to cultural heritage", and "Indigenous peoples and cultural preservation". "Indigenous Peoples and Cultural Preservation" and other issues. Prof. Wang Yunxia moderated the third module; Da Hongyu and Chen Ruida, PhD candidates of the School of International Law of China University of Political Science and Law, and Ding Guangyu, Zhang Yadong and Duan Jiqin, PhD candidates of the School of Law of Renmin University of China, made keynote speeches. Prof. Pascal Beauvais of Sorbonne University, Prof. Gao Sheng of Shandong University of Science and Technology, Prof. Ben Boer of University of Sydney, and Dr. Kris Wilson of University of Technology Sydney, Australia, commented on the presentations of the doctoral candidates.
In the closing session, Prof. Yunxia Wang, Prof. Ana Filipa Vrdoljak, Prof. Sophie Vigneron and Prof. Clementine Boris delivered a speech together, affirming the content of the seminar of this year's PhD colloquium and hoping that the young scholars will continue to forge ahead and improve their research programs in the future, contributing their wisdom to the development of cultural heritage law.
The 4 Universities Consortium on Cultural
Heritage Law is the result of the further expansion of international exchange
and cooperation between Renmin University of China and the University of
Toulouse, based on the series of "Sino-French Seminar on Cultural Heritage
Law" co-organized by the University of Toulouse, and is also one of the
brand activities of the Chair. This conference, held in an online and offline
manner, is of positive significance to the development of theories, systems and
practices related to cultural heritage protection in China, and will also
provide an important reference for the improvement of UNESCO's policies and
measures in the field of cultural heritage protection.
