On the afternoon of July 23, local time, the 46th World Heritage Conference themed “Science, Creativity, and Empowerment—World Heritage Education Towards the Future” convened at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. During this significant event, the recipients of the Global Awards for Heritage Education Innovation Cases (AWHEIC) were announced. Among the myriad of compelling entries, the project titled “Craftsmanship in Construction—Educational Practices of Architectural Heritage in Ethnic Corridors” led by Dai Fuhong from the College of Architecture and Urban Planning of GZU, alongside her student, Wei Yu, stood out among numerous entries, earning the 2024 “Global Awards for World Heritage Education Innovation Cases - Star of the Future Award”. This achievement marks a significant milestone as it represents the first time our province has received such an honor.

The Global Awards for World Heritage Education Innovation Cases, organized by the UNESCO Asia-Pacific World Heritage Training and Research Centre in collaboration with ASPnet, serves as an international platform for the exchange of innovative approaches to heritage education. This year’s World Heritage Conference proudly presents the “Star of Excellence Awards”, the “Star of Exploration Awards”, and the “Star of the Future Awards”, each category featuring ten distinguished recipients. Significantly, the Star of the Future Award recognizes emerging practice teams led by youth, providing crucial guidance for the future trajectory of heritage education.

The award-winning project of our university was launched by the “Agency of Craftsmanship in Construction”. This dedicated team has focused on one of the five major ethnic corridors, leveraging three years of rigorous exploration to establish a participatory construction education system rooted in the CDIO engineering education model (concept, design, implement, operate). By adopting a holistic approach to cultural preservation, the team seeks to excavate, protect, and disseminate the rich architectural heritage of these corridors. Furthermore, it has developed three innovative participatory protection models that center on the cultural genes inherent to these ethnic regions.

As the project’s influence broadens, the team has successfully engaged numerous heritage enthusiasts through innovative collaboration mechanisms and models. This initiative not only enhances participants’ awareness of the architectural heritage within the ethnic corridor but also fosters sustainable economic, social, and cultural development at the heritage sites along this route. In the future, the team will continue to delve into the research and practice of the architectural heritage of the ethnic corridor, enabling the public to connect with this rich cultural heritage in a holistic manner and to immerse themselves in a variety of enriching experiences.

Editor: Zhang Chan

Chief Editor: Li Xufeng

Senior Editor: Ding Long

Translator: Tan Jing