The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) plans to establish a research and education center in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, to train specialists for the world heritage preservation.

Chinese State Counselor Chen Zhili and UNESCO Secretary-General Matsuura Koichiro attended the launching ceremony of the project Monday morning.

A local official said that apart from training specialists in world heritage, the center will provide various sorts and levels of education including science and technology related to heritage preservation, management, and volunteer training.

The official said the current shortage of related specialists has become a big challenge to all countries in preserving world heritage.

The Chinese government has realized the problem and started the training program. And some specialized institutions have been established in colleges, doing systematic studies on culture and natural heritage.

Besides, China will try to open courses on world heritage in some of Beijing's schools, arousing the passion and recognition of the younger generation in world heritage preservation, said the official.

(Xinhua News Agency June 29, 2004)