Over 200 global experts, scientists and entrepreneurs convened on Monday for the World Canals Conference 2024 in the inland port city of Bydgoszcz, northern Poland.

This event coincided with the 250th anniversary of the completion of the Bydgoszcz Canal, Poland's oldest navigable inland waterway. The anniversary attracted many visitors last weekend.

The theme of the 2024 conference is "Challenges between Ecology and Economic Use – Sustainable Revitalization of Canals Focusing on Nature."

Sharon Leighton, president of Inland Waterways International (IWI), said "water connects all of us and holds immense value. We have so much to learn from each other globally."

Wang Huijun, deputy secretary-general of the World Historic and Cultural Canal Cities Cooperation Organization, stressed that "the World Canals Conference has a substantial global influence. Canal cities around the world share their successful experience and promote mutual understanding."

Wang also noted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of China's Grand Canal's UNESCO World Heritage listing, adding that participating in the conference helped foreign attendees better understand and appreciate the Grand Canal.

David Edwards-May, editor-in-chief of IWI, shared his experience visiting Yangzhou and Hangzhou in China. "It was fascinating to see the barges constantly moving under the famous old bridges. It is a source of pride for Chinese engineers how they have balanced modern inland water transport infrastructure with heritage preservation and environmental conservation," he said.

During the conference that runs from Monday through Wednesday, Chairman of Grand Tour Education Technology, Cheng Hao proposed the establishment of a "World Canal Cities Research and Learning Cloud Platform," noting that canals worldwide are rich in cultural history, science and technology and lifestyle insights. He expressed the hope that digital empowerment will facilitate young people to explore the canals of different countries.

In addition to discussion sessions and presentations, participants enjoyed a cruise on the Bydgoszcz Canal and visited the Canal Museum to experience the unique water culture of Bydgoszcz.

Since 1988, the World Canals Conference has been held over 30 times, with notable sessions in Yangzhou, China, in 2012 and 2019.