Chongqing — The 2025 Cultural Heritage in Asia (ACHA) General Assembly and Council Meeting will take place from November 26 to 29 at the Chongqing Yuelai International Conference Center in Southwest China's Chongqing.
The 2025 Cultural Heritage in Asia (ACHA) General Assembly and Council Meeting will take place from November 26 to 29 at the Chongqing Yuelai International Conference Center in Southwest China's Chongqing.
This year's meeting will showcase the Alliance's institutional progress, launch new funding mechanisms, and welcome additional member states. The conference program includes ministerial dialogues, academic forums, and cultural exhibitions, offering participants opportunities to strengthen professional networks and explore innovative approaches to safeguarding Asia's shared cultural legacy.
ACHA was jointly established in 2021 by China and nine Asian countries, becoming the region's first governmental body explicitly dedicated to cultural heritage. In just over two years, the Alliance has significantly expanded its influence, bringing together council members, regular members, observers, and partner countries under a shared framework of cooperation. Its appeal continues to grow: during this year's Assembly, several nations, including Malaysia, Kenya, and Cuba, are expected to submit formal applications to join, further strengthening the Alliance's voice in global heritage governance.
This year's meeting will mark important progress in the Alliance's institutional development. Delegates will discuss the upcoming work cycle, refine internal procedures, and complete the legal arrangements needed to support long-term operations.
On the institutional front, delegates will review the ACHA 2025–2027 biennial work plan, refine the rules of procedure for the Advisory Committee, and finalize the Host Country Agreement, establishing a stronger governance foundation for the Alliance's long-term operation.
At the organizational level, the Alliance will not only welcome new member states but also inaugurate its first Scientific and Technological Committee, a new body designed to enhance the professional and technical support behind regional heritage protection.
In terms of concrete outcomes, the Assembly will introduce a new Asia Cultural Heritage Protection Fund and witness the signing of a China–Egypt Joint Statement on Advancing the "Asia Cultural Heritage Protection Initiative," marking an important step toward turning shared commitments into actionable cooperation.
For Chongqing, hosting the Assembly represents both recognition and opportunity. The city will become home to the Secretariat of the new scientific and technological committee, strengthening its role as a regional center for heritage research and innovation. Throughout the city, a wide range of academic forums, youth exchange programs, exhibitions, and public cultural activities will unfold alongside the conference, allowing residents and visitors to experience the richness of Asia's cultural traditions in an immersive way. From thematic exhibitions on Dunhuang, Dazu, and Austronesian cultures to archaeology-themed events and heritage-inspired light shows, the Assembly is set to transform Chongqing into a vibrant stage for cultural dialogue.
The splendid Dazu Rock Carvings are the sole cultural heritage of Chongqing City. (Photo/Dazu District)
Chongqing's own heritage resources provide a strong foundation for this international gathering. The city safeguards tens of thousands of immovable cultural relics and a significant collection of museum artifacts. World-renowned sites such as the Dazu Rock Carvings, the Baiheliang ancient hydrological inscriptions, and the mountain-city ruins of Hechuan reflect the breadth of the region's cultural landscape, spanning religious art, scientific heritage, and medieval military engineering. These sites are not only pillars of local identity but also valuable components of Asia's broader heritage mosaic.
As the ACHA General Assembly convenes in Chongqing, Asia's cultural community will gain a renewed opportunity to strengthen scientific cooperation, deepen academic exchanges, and share best practices in conservation. More importantly, the gathering will help illuminate the shared histories, values, and memories that connect Asian civilizations—offering a powerful reminder that protecting heritage is not merely a technical task, but a collective effort to preserve the cultural vitality of an entire region.