China News Service, Beijing, November 11 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Water Resources reported on the 4th that China's world irrigation engineering heritage has increased to 4.
On the afternoon of November 11, Beijing time, at the 4th Executive Council of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage held in India, the 74 (2023th) World Irrigation Engineering Heritage List was announced, and four projects, including Qimenyan Irrigation System in Anhui, China, Hongze Ancient Irrigation Area in Jiangsu, Huoquan Irrigation Project in Shanxi, and Baini Ancient Weir in Chongyang County, Hubei Province, were successfully declared. So far, China's world irrigation engineering heritage has reached 4.
Irrigation is the basic support for agricultural development and is of great significance to the development of human civilization. Since its establishment in 2014, the World Irrigation Engineering Heritage List aims to sort out the development of the world's irrigation civilization, promote the protection of irrigation engineering heritage, summarize the excellent water management wisdom of traditional irrigation projects, and provide historical experience and enlightenment for sustainable irrigation development.
This year, 4 projects from India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, Thailand and Turkey were inscribed on the 15th World Heritage List of Irrigation Projects, along with four Chinese heritages. At present, the total number of irrigation engineering heritage sites in the world has reached 159, covering 18 countries in five continents: Asia, Europe, Africa, North America and Oceania.
A relevant person in charge of China's Ministry of Water Resources said that for thousands of years, irrigation projects have been the fundamental support for the development of China's agricultural civilization and the foundation of the survival of the Chinese nation. The philosophy of water control, which has been used for hundreds of thousands of years, has become a symbol of the traditional philosophical concept of Chinese culture of respecting nature, conforming to nature, and harmonious coexistence between man and nature. The protection and inheritance of irrigation engineering heritage is of great practical significance for promoting cultural inheritance and development, promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, promoting the high-quality development of water conservancy, and boosting rural revitalization. At present, China's world irrigation engineering heritage covers almost all types of irrigation projects, and it is the country with the richest types of irrigation engineering heritage, the most extensive distribution and the most outstanding irrigation benefits.
Founded in 1950, the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) is a professional international organization with the purpose of exchanging and promoting cutting-edge technologies in international irrigation, drainage and flood control, with members including 91 national and regional committees, covering more than 90% of the world's irrigated area. (ENDS)