The 2026 Young Masters for Heritage Conservation Symposium was held in Suzhou on October 12 and 13. The event was centered on the theme “Historic Gardens: Living Heritage Conservation and Public Engagement”. Nineteen young masters for heritage conservation from 10 countries gathered together with Chinese experts and scholars to explore innovative approaches to carry traditional craftsmanship forward and promote the conservation and inheritance of historic gardens.
The symposium was co-organized by UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, Suzhou Municipal Bureau of Gardens and Landscaping, and the UNESCO World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and Pacific Region. Two parallel sessions on “landscape resilience and innovative interpretation” and “craftsmanship transmission and historic district revitalization” were held on the afternoon of October 12.
On the morning of October 13, participants visited the Lingering Garden, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where they learned how traditional Xiangshanbang architectural skills have been used in recent years to restore historic buildings in Suzhou classical gardens.
