Hangzhou – October 18, 2026 -- The 4th Liangzhu Forum opened on October 18 in Yuhang, Hangzhou, with hundreds of Chinese and foreign guests, after the event was written into the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan this year.
Forum becomes a permanent national-level dialogue mechanism
Launched in 2023, the forum has advanced civilizational dialogue between China and Belt and Road partner countries. Following three previous sessions, it has evolved into a permanent national-level mechanism for dialogues on civilizations. This year's theme is "Bridging the Past and Future: Safeguarding Cultural Heritage for Our Times."
The edition coincides with the 90th anniversary of the discovery of the Liangzhu Site. The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2019.
Agenda spans five sub-forums and five supporting events
According to the organizing committee, the program covers early-civilization archaeology, World Heritage nomination, technology-driven heritage conservation, restitution of lost cultural relics, and sustainable tourism for heritage sites.
The main forum hosts keynote speeches, international cooperation signing ceremonies, and the release of key findings from the Yangtze-River civilization origins research. Sub-forums will address new-technology heritage protection, the return of lost cultural relics, and the balance between conservation and tourism development.
Twenty-five artists from 14 countries tour UNESCO sites
The artists visited the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City, West Lake and the Grand Canal for field-inspired creation. A Liangzhu cultural and creative products fair combines traditional craftsmanship with AI-driven innovation, which organizers describe as a complete industrial chain from cultural resources to creative products. Youth dialogue sessions will bring foreign ambassadors to China and experts together with students.
Liangzhu Cultural Corridor ties heritage to local income
The Liangzhu Cultural Corridor links the ancient city ruins with historical sites, ancient towns, villages and cultural-creative parks. Organizers say archaeological resources fuel local industries and raise household incomes, avoiding both isolated "cultural islands" from closed protection and relic damage from over-development.
Ancient jade-cong motifs are adapted for cultural-creative merchandise, and VR technology takes visitors back to the 5,000-year-old city. Villagers near the site share in the benefits of cultural development.