This summer, I had the opportunity to intern with ICOMOS China (Chinese National Committee for the International Council on Monuments and Sites), a non-profit social entity located in Beijing, China. I worked as a research assistant, focusing on tasks related to world heritage sites. My time at ICOMOS China coincided with the preparations for the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee, which provided me with a unique and fortunate opportunity to be involved in the majority of the preparation for the meeting. Therefore starting in May, my mentor guided me on how to read and interpret the documents for the upcoming conference. We familiarized ourselves with the potential discussion topics, including but not limited to draft decisions, tentative lists, and final decisions from previous sessions. This experience was instrumental and practical in deepening my understanding of the complex processes involved in world heritage management. In July, I had the opportunity to work closely with Marie-Noel Tournoux, an expert and program director from WHITRAP Shanghai (World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region), and accompanied her to the Ming Dynasty Culture Forum, an annual event set at the Ming Tombs, also a world heritage site. I was responsible for planning the itinerary and coordinating with the site managers. Together, we conducted a site visit to the Ming Tombs and the Juyong section of the Great Wall. During the forum, experts from various fields and nations shared their thoughts on the future development of the Ming Tombs. Their discussions on site monitoring and the potential for opening other Ming tombs for tourism reminded me of what we learned from HSPV 6600 Theories of Historic Preservation, which was about the debates on how to resolve the conflict between preservation and tourism development.
Through this internship, I also gained a deep understanding of how ICOMOS China operates as a non-profit organization and academic entity in China. They manage and host ICOMOS events, such as the ICOMOS University Forum, which will be co-hosted by ICOMOS China and Tsinghua University this autumn. At the same time, as an academic non-profit entity, ICOMOS China undertakes research projects commissioned by other institutions, including national agencies and also private business groups. During my internship, I contributed to a report on the interpretation of world heritage sites in China and the development of their museums. In conclusion, I am fortunate to have this internship opportunity, as it has pushed me to seriously consider how scholars, organizations, governments, and heritage sites and their managers can collaborate to conserve world heritage. This experience has been invaluable in shaping my understanding of heritage preservation.
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