From 10 to 12 June, the International Conference “Culture 2030 | Rural-Urban Development: The Future of Historic Villages and Towns” was held in Meishan, Republic of China.

The conference programme reflected the shared objective of UNESCO and the People’s Republic of China to promote the role of culture for sustainable development, focusing particularly on small settlements. In line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and building on China’s National Rural Revitalization Strategic Plan adopted in 2018, the conference aimed to explore innovative approaches to sustainable local development using culture as a lever.

At the invitation of the UNESCO, the Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe were presented in the framework of the Conference, thus highlighting the importance of sustainable rural revitalisation and the added value of Cultural Routes as a good practice for sustainable development.