The 2019 World Canal Cities Forum & World Canals Conference was held in 
Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, from September 26 to October 6.

Themed on protection, inheritance and utilization of the canal culture, the 
forum aims to not only promulgate China's actions in protection, inheritance 
and utilization of the Grand Canal, but also share the successful practice and 
advanced experience of the world canal culture.

Luo Shugang, Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism; Wu Zhenglong, Governor of 
Jiangsu Province; Juan Carlos Varela, former President of Panama; and IWI's 
President David Edwards-May attended the opening ceremony held on September 27 
and delivered speeches on it.

Wu noted that Jiangsu will firmly grip the opportunity brought by the forum and 
deem the canal as a medium to further deepen exchanges and cooperation with the 
world's canal cities, promote cultural mutual understanding and contribute 
China's wisdom to the global canal protection in a bid to create a better 
future for the world's canal cities development.

In recent years, Yangzhou city has strived to build itself into a famous 
historical and cultural city with a high degree of cultural consciousness and 
cultural self-confidence, and push forward the fine protection of the Grand 
Canal, the scientific use of the canal and the internationalization of the 
canal cultural exchange so as to better take on Yangzhou's responsibility, 
contribute Yangzhou's wisdom and illustrate Yangzhou's demonstration role in 
the construction of the Grand Canal cultural corridor.

A diverse range of activities, such as a light show, folk talent show and 
carnival parade, were also staged during the event.

As the longest and largest ancient artificial waterway in the world, the Grand 
Canal was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in June 2014.

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SOURCE: Xinhua Silk Road Information Service