Defending heritage means fitting historic sites and traditions within contemporary society — and securing lasting benefits for the future. Helping younger generations care for their ancestral history ensures that heritage is protected now and in the decades to come.
In Guizhou, China, youth are at the center of our work. Together with local author Liu Xushuang and illustrator Li Qingyue, we recently produced a children’s book based on the Indigenous history and cultural traditions in Dali Dong Village.
Photos: Liu Xushuang and Li Qingyue
Local educators presented Finding the Golden Rooster to 20 schoolchildren at the Lianghu Club, a historic building in Rongjiang County now functioning as a cultural center. For many students, this was the first time they saw Dali’s local history illustrated and honored in a book geared towards their reading level.
Photos: Zhang Li
Dr Kuanghan Li, Director of our China Heritage Program, also gifted the book to 95 students at Dali Primary School.
“This book is the first time for local Dong children to read a story based on their culture and their home village,” explains Dr Li. “Watching their faces as they view the book for the first time, you can see that it inspires them to realize how their local heritage is unique. They can see how Dali’s heritage is worth preserving for the future.”
Photos: Zhang Li
We are proud to foster sustainable heritage stewardship by connecting youth in Dali and around the world with their historic sites and traditions.
Thank you for helping us empower youth and support cultural heritage protection beyond monuments®.