Some 400-plus representatives from all over the world have arrived in Suzhou in east China's Jiangsu Province by 8:00 p.m. Sunday to attend the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee, due to open here Monday.

Other representatives are still on the way to Suzhou for more than 500 representatives have registered to attend the conference. Some 200 domestic and overseas journalists also flocked to the scenic city to cover the UNESCO event, according to the organizing committee.

Representatives from about 100 countries and regions will examine new nominations to the World Heritage List and discuss a new global strategy concerning the protection of world heritage during the 10-day meeting, which will last through to July 7.

Chinese Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng, also head of the Chinese delegation to the conference, have arrived in Suzhou together with Vice Minister of Education Zhang Xinsheng, the session's chairman. Other senior officials attending the conference include UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura.

Elena Korka, a delegation official with Greek Ministry of Culture, said the preparatory work for the World Heritage conference was "excellent". "It will be a very interesting conference as the session will decide which properties are latest inscribed on the World Heritage List," she said.

Tareq Sayid Rajab, Kuwait Representative to the World Heritage Committee, hoped China would strengthen its cooperation with the Arab countries in preserving the heritage.

"The Middle East and China had great civilizations but many are ignored by the West," Rajab said, adding the steps China had taken to preserve historic monuments and sites would set an example for the rest of the world.

Rajab said only by more cooperation between countries all over the world can the heritage be better protected. "Because we all live in danger of losing things."
 
(Xinhua News Agency June 28, 2004)