Young people are not only the successors of excellent culture and art, but more important, they are pioneers. Nowadays, they have gathered together in Changsha to become the key to the development of future world. On the morning of May 22nd, the 2018 Changsha Media Arts Festival and international youth forum on creativity and heritage along the silk road was held in Changsha. During the introductory session of “experience Changsha media arts and ICH program”, eight young artists from various countries who lived in Changsha spoke and communicated in depth about cultural inheritance and development.
What should young people do for intangible heritage, creativity and heritage protection? Last year, the final "Changsha Declaration" formed on the youth forum on creativity and heritage along the silk road was effective. At the Introductory session of “experience Changsha media arts and ICH program”, Eunice Geraldine Smith, Programme Specialist of Social and Human Sciences, UNESCO Beijing Cluster Office, firstly introduced “Changsha Declaration” to the youth presented. She also said that UNESCO will continue to encourage cultural exchange programs in an open mind and promote communication among young people.
Yang Changjiang, director of the News and Publishing Bureau of Culture and Broadcast of Changsha, introduced the features and historical culture of Changsha. He said that as Changsha's culture was publicized to the outside world more in recent years, the titles of UNESCO Creative city of media arts and the culture city of East Asia are designated to Changsha. Therefore, the People's Government of Changsha entrusted UNESCO to select and invite eight young artists from countries along the silk road as representatives to experience the Changsha media arts and ICH program.
“We hope that young artists will create outstanding works after exploring Hunan’s natural, historical, human resources, cultural and media art projects in Changsha within half a month in order to strengthen cultural and artistic exchanges between countries and regions.” Yang Changjiang said.