4th Liangzhu Forum in Hangzhou Highlights Sustainable World Heritage Tourism

The organising committee of the 4th Liangzhu Forum opened the international academic conference and cultural exchange event on 18 October 2026 at the Liangzhu Site archaeological site in Yuhang District, Hangzhou, in eastern China, with a large number of distinguished guests from China and abroad in attendance. The event was held to mark the 90th anniversary of the discovery of the major archaeological site, under the theme of connecting the past to the future for the conservation of cultural heritage in the modern era. The event comprises an opening ceremony, a main forum, 5 sub-forums and 5 supporting activities to drive cooperation in archaeology and sustainable tourism.

From a 5,000-Year-Old Ancient Civilisation Site to an International Cooperation Mechanism

More than 5,000 years ago, ancient inhabitants in this area built a large city and developed a prosperous rice-farming civilisation, until the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City were inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2019. Today, this historic site has evolved from an archaeological excavation site into an international platform for intercultural exchange and learning. Across the 3 editions of the Liangzhu Forum held since 2023 under the Belt and Road Initiative, the event has welcomed more than 1,300 participants from 115 countries and regions, and has been included in China's draft 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development to drive joint research and exhibitions of ancient artefacts.

In-Depth Look at the 5 Sub-Forums and Creative Activities Connecting World Heritage

The main forum features keynote speeches, international cooperation signing ceremonies, and the release of research findings on the origins of Yangtze River civilisation. Meanwhile, the 5 sub-forums bring together scholars to discuss topics ranging from the study of early civilisations, World Heritage nominations, the use of modern innovation to conserve historic sites, and the restitution of lost artefacts, to the promotion of sustainable heritage tourism. In addition, supporting activities take 25 artists from 14 countries on field visits to UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Hangzhou, namely the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, West Lake and the Grand Canal, to create artworks, alongside a cultural market combining handicrafts with AI and a youth dialogue with foreign diplomatic corps in China.

A Model for Developing World Heritage Areas Alongside Community Economy and VR Innovation

The Liangzhu Cultural Corridor has also been developed as a model for integrating cultural heritage conservation into community life, addressing the issues of isolating sites from society or overdevelopment that damages historic sites. This project uses the ancient city ruins as a hub linking historical sites, ancient towns, villages and creative parks together to generate income and improve the quality of life for local households. Visitors can learn about history through products inspired by patterns from ancient jade artefacts and realistically experience the atmosphere of the ancient city from over 5,000 years ago through VR systems.

This approach to event organisation and site management therefore offers direct benefits to event organisers, hoteliers and travel operators seeking to leverage cultural heritage for international conferences. Event organisers and hotel businesses can adapt the concept of combining academic forums with art trails, AI-powered creative markets and VR experiences to welcome delegates from around the world. Meanwhile, travellers interested in history and culture can plan visits to the Liangzhu Site archaeological site and World Heritage sites in Hangzhou to experience sustainable tourism.