The Third International Conference on World Natural Heritage is
scheduled for Jiuzhaigou, well-known for its habitat of rare giant
pandas in southwest China's Sichuan Province, in October.
More than 600 participants from around the world are expected to
take part in the three-day meeting with a view to enhancing
protection of natural heritage sites, according to the Sichuan
Tourism Administration.
The Second Conference on World Natural Heritage was held in
Aomori, Japan, in 2005. Focused on such issues as conserving
natural heritage sites and international cooperation for the
survival of humankind and the world, the meeting attracted
delegates from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and 24 countries and regions which
have world natural heritage sites.
There were 162 world natural heritages sited by 2006. Jiuzhaigou
was listed as a world heritage by UNESCO in 1992.
(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2007)