07.08.2009 News: Leipzig Trade Fair of Heritage Conservation and Museum Technology Debuts in China
From 29–31 October 2009, Leipziger Messe International (LMI) from Germany will for the first time be hosting an international trade show devoted to heritage conservation and museum technology in China. Held in the former imperial capital of Xi’an, Heritage Preservation China (HPC) will focus on the protection and restoration of architectural monuments, art treasures and cultural possessions, along with systems and equipment for museums, exhibition centres and archives.
The exhibition managed jointly by LMI and Shaanxi International Trade Exhibition Co. (SiTE) is based on the successful concept behind denkmal, Europe’s leading restoration and heritage conservation trade show, which is staged by Leipziger Messe every two years in the German city of Leipzig. Supported by eminent international organizations such as ICOMOS, this new project was prompted by a growing awareness in China of the need to preserve its monuments and national heritage, a rising willingness to provide the necessary funding, and its heightened interest in international ties in this field.
Be it the restoration of wood, paper, silk, precious stones, paintings, bronze, natural stone and ceramics, the preservation of mausoleums, archaeology and museums, or the conservation of entire temples and historical parks, HPC brings together quite simply all areas of heritage conservation. It thus provides a superb platform for firms and specialists to contact businesses, experts and potential clients. Moreover, at the invitation of the Chinese Government, HPC will be attended by decision-makers from national and regional heritage authorities. “The Terracotta Army Museum and the Forbidden City in Beijing have already pledged to take part and will be two of the fair’s highlights,” says project director Ulrich Briese in delight.
China possesses a wealth of architectural and cultural treasures. It has 38 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the third-highest number of any country in the world), 2,300 museums containing more than 12 million exhibits, and 70,000 listed monuments and buildings, many of which are in need of restoration and renovation owing to the country’s increasing urbanisation and significant environmental pollution. Moreover, with China being a signatory to key international conventions in recent years, more and more international standards are now coming into force there. And by 2015 a comprehensive system is to have been drawn up to provide effective, integrated protection for China’s historical, scientific and cultural heritage.
Brisk international cooperation and the import of advanced materials and new technology are intended to help China solve the huge challenges it faces while ensuring a high level of quality. This goal has even been enshrined in the Chinese Government’s current five-year-plan. And given the rapidly growing private sector in architectural conservation, it’s now far easier for manufacturers and experts from abroad to enter the Chinese market.
“Xi’an makes the ideal setting for this new fair since it’s virtually the centre of heritage conservation in China,” declares Jörg Zeissig, General Manager of LMI. Once the imperial capital and the starting point of the Silk Road, the number of art treasures and architectural monuments in Xi’an is almost unmatched by any other city in China. Antique temples, imperial mausoleums, the biggest preserved city wall, and last but not least the world-famous Terracotta Army all testify to Xi’an’s varied history, as already confirmed by the participants of the ICOMOS conference in 2005. Furthermore, hardly any other region in China has so many of the country’s top heritage conservation specialists in various disciplines as Xi’an, which is pioneering in bronze, silk and stone restoration. And its heritage preservation department is one of the most important and influential anywhere in the country.
HPC will be accompanied by a programme of special events comprising excursions (including to the Terracotta Army), a national competition, forums, seminars and presentations by exhibitors.
Leipziger Messe International
Messe-Allee 1 I 04356 Leipzig I Germany
Herr Nan Deng
Tel. +49 (0)341 / 678-7900
n.deng@LM-international.com I www.heritage-china.com
Mr Ulrich Briese
Tel: +49 (0)341 678 7917
Email: u.briese@LM-international.com
Internet: www.heritage-china.com
