Cultural heritage festival to be staged in Chengdu

　　The First International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, Chengdu, China, will be held in Chengdu, the capital city of Southwest China's Sichuan Province from May 23 to June 10.

　　With the theme "inheritance of national culture, communication of human civilizations and building of a harmonious world", it is the first international event in the world for the protection of cultural heritage including folk songs and dance.

　　Approved by the State Council, it is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Sichuan Provincial Government, and organized by the Chengdu Municipal Government, the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and the China National Center of Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection.

　　During the festival, the United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization will hold a convention for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage from May 23 and 27 in Chengdu.

　　Representatives from 24 member countries, about 50 observers and 200 NGO representatives from around the world will attend the convention, said He Huazhang, vice mayor of Chengdu.

　　This festival is aimed at furthering China's efforts in intangible cultural heritage protection and enhancing its global influence in the field, said Ding Wei, Assistant to the Minister of Culture.

　　During the event, participants will sign the Chengdu Manifesto, where they will pledge to do their utmost to protect intangible cultural heritage.

　　At the First Session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, several hundred representatives from dozens of countries will discuss and work out international regulations on the legal protection of oral and intangible cultural heritage of the human world.

　　After the Session, the text of the Chengdu Manifesto will be inscribed in stone in many languages and be placed inside the Chengdu National Intangible Cultural Heritage Park, He said.

　　Editor: Xu Shenglan