Culture
15:30, 14-Nov-2017
UNESCO promotes sustainable livelihood at China's World Heritage sites
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Traveling nearly 2,000 kilometers from southwest China's Sichuan Province to Beijing, Ming Meng brought two frames of honeycomb and dozens of jars of honey to Mercedes Me, a cafe and restaurant in the city's Sanlitun shopping district.
The products are not just ingredients for the restaurant, they are also the result of a World Heritage sustainable livelihood project in Ya'an, part of UNESCO's Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries World Heritage site.
In Ya'an, the majority of residents make a living by grazing livestock in mountainous areas, which returns low economic benefits, causes problems due to being a single source of income and lead to environmental harm from over-grazing.
However, the area's abundant wild flowers and plants created an opportunity for the project.
Flowers in Ya'an. /Ya'an Daily Photo
Flowers in Ya'an. /Ya'an Daily Photo
Based on a study carried out since 2015, Ming, the head of a local non-governmental organization, chose to run the honey project and in April his team began to teach local herders how to keep bees and make honey.
At first many residents resisted change to their way of life and were afraid of the bees, but now more and more are choosing to take part, he said.
According to Ming, this year the value of the output for Ya'an honey is estimated to reach 300,000 yuan (around 45,200 US dollars).
"UNESCO's World Heritage sustainable livelihood activity seeks to find new ways and mechanisms for communities in and around World Heritage sites to achieve heritage protection and economic growth, by promoting livelihoods based on the culture and biodiversity," said Marielza Oliveira, director of UNESCO's Beijing office.
As well as the mountain honey project in Ya'an, UNESCO is also promoting Sani embroidery in Shilin, Yunnan Province within the South China Karst World Heritage site and bamboo handicrafts from Chishui in Guizhou Province.
These projects are aimed at preserving traditional craftsmanship, empowering women and encouraging creative cultural industries.