Exchanges Key to Heritage Protection

　　Mayors at the forum recognized that cultural exchanges over the years have helped people of different cultures provide each other with preservation experiences.

　　Many Chinese cities have formed ties with hundreds of foreign cities and cultural exchanges have been going on continuously.

　　A good example is the exhibition of "Genghis Khan: Treasures of Inner Mongolia" in Los Angeles, organized by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County with the help of China's central government and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

　　"The greatest benefit was the historical education gained by our school children and museum visitors about Chinese history," said Michael Antonovich, Los Angeles County supervisor.

　　At the forum, mayors signed the "Nanjing Declaration," that aims for the preservation and sensible use of important cultural sites.