About the Alliance
The Alliance of UNESCO Chairs on Cultural Heritage (UNESCO-ACCH) was launched on 1 February 2026 at the Zhejiang University Museum of Art and Archaeology. Under the guidance of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and with the support of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, the UNESCO Chair on Silk Roads Heritage at Zhejiang University held extensive consultations with UNESCO Chairs at home and abroad and, together with 21 UNESCO Chairs from 14 countries and regions, jointly founded the Alliance.
Mission
The Alliance is a global, voluntary, and non-institutionalized collaborative framework. Its purpose is to provide a structured, practical, and efficient platform for substantive cooperation among UNESCO Chairs worldwide—moving beyond dialogue toward tangible joint action, including collaborative research programs, shared capacity-building initiatives, and the co-development of innovative solutions for the conservation, management, and promotion of cultural heritage.
How the Alliance Works
The Alliance adopts a project-oriented, results-driven model. Its key activities include:
Joint research groups — bringing members together to address pressing thematic challenges in cultural heritage.
Pilot projects — implementing integrated projects at heritage sites that draw on the collective expertise of members.
Open educational resources — co-creating shared teaching materials and training modules.
Joint publications — issuing joint publications, policy briefs, and technical guidelines.
An annual forum serves as the principal mechanism for strategic coordination, knowledge exchange, and forward planning.
Structure
The Alliance comprises a General Assembly of all member Chairs as its supreme decision-making body; an elected Council responsible for executive oversight and day-to-day work, with the founding Chairs forming its initial core; and a dedicated Secretariat. The UNESCO Chair on Silk Roads Heritage at Zhejiang University will host the inaugural Secretariat for a first term of three years to ensure a stable and effective launch.
Founding
UNESCO-ACCH was inaugurated alongside the unveiling of the UNESCO Chair on Silk Roads Heritage at Zhejiang University and the launch of the Journal of Silk Roads Heritage (JSRH). The ceremony was attended by Ma Yanming, President of Zhejiang University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Shahbaz Khan, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia; and Qin Changwei, Secretary-General of the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO (online), together with UNESCO Chairholders and partners from many countries and regions joining on-site and online. The ceremony was hosted by Zhou Jianghong, Vice President of Zhejiang University.
At the founding forum, Chair representatives from around the world discussed core issues in the preservation and development of cultural heritage, affirmed the value of the Alliance, and expressed their commitment to taking part in its work and to deepening practical, multilateral cooperation.