The fourth Liangzhu Forum will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, from Oct 18 to 20, under the theme "Bridging the Past and the Future: Safeguarding Cultural Heritage for Our Times."

This year's forum will feature an opening ceremony and main forum, five sub-forums, and five supporting activities.

The opening ceremony and main forum on the morning of Oct 18 will bring together senior officials from Chinese and foreign cultural and heritage authorities, representatives of international organizations including UNESCO, and experts in culture, art, and tourism. The program will also feature keynote speeches and the signing of strategic cooperation agreements.

The five sub-forums will focus on early civilizations and the 90th anniversary of the discovery of the Liangzhu site; World Heritage nominations and the preservation of heritage values; technology in heritage conservation; the return of cultural objects to their countries of origin; and sustainable tourism linked to heritage protection.

Five supporting activities are also planned, including an art exchange program, a Liangzhu cultural and creative market, an exhibition of innovative designs inspired by Chinese cultural heritage, an international dialogue on tracing the origins of civilization, and a dialogue between Liangzhu civilization and the world.