The opening ceremony for the 10th anniversary of China's Grand Canal's UNESCO World Heritage listing and the fifth Beijing Hangzhou Dialogue was recently held at Hangzhou's Grand Canal Hanggang Park.

The event gathered guests from government, industry, academia, and research sectors to celebrate the milestone and discuss the future of the Grand Canal Cultural Belt.

The Grand Canal, boasting a history of 2,500 years, is a marvel of Chinese engineering. It has played a crucial role in balancing the natural and economic resources of northern and southern China, promoting development and prosperity along its route.

The event includes the Grand Canal Cultural Belt Achievements Exhibition, showcasing the canal's transformation and rich history. Highlights include a Hangzhou machine embroidery piece and Wu Liren's folk painting Scenes of Hangzhou Along the Canal, depicting the beauty and charm of old Hangzhou.

The opening ceremony also saw the release of several key research outcomes, including the "New Marco Polo Travelogue" multimedia project, a study of the conservation and utilization of the Grand Canal's Hangzhou section, and the Grand Canal Cultural Dictionary.

Notable figures, such as David Edwards-May, editor-in-chief of the International Inland Waterways organization, and Lang Lang, the Grand Canal's cultural ambassador, expressed their support for the event through video messages, highlighting the importance of collaboration for the future of canal cities.