CHP's projects are guided by the principle that local people themselves must be responsible for cultural heritage protection in their own areas and that therefore education and public awareness building are key. It seeks support for a more comprehensive initiative to develop and promote a range of appropriate cultural heritage protection techniques.
Working with a very limited budget, CHP has focused its efforts on training, provision of consultation services, and cooperation in joint research with other organizations and government authorities. It is estimated that in the past six years, CHP has held more than 100 training activities reaching over 20,000 people and has been contacted by thousands of people from both within and outside China requesting advice on cultural heritage protection.
Since the initial establishment of CHP in 1998, it has on average undertaken and completed one project every week. Most of CHP's projects are generally smaller in scale and require less outside funding.
Ongoing activities include:
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Training activities for community leaders, government officials, lawyers, archaeologists, museum experts, university and middle school students
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Operating a hotline service, including telephone and email, for immediate feedback on cultural heritage policy and protection methods
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Organizing letter campaigns addressed to local governments concerning the irresponsible handling of cultural relics in their respective communities
CHP also runs several special major projects as well, which are designed for mobilizing a specific community or culture. These projects require more human and financial resources and are carried out over a period of a couple years. CHP is currently running two special major projects, for which is has already obtained or is seeking to obtain funding.
Special major projects:
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Conserving distinctive Dai culture in Yunnan Province through visual and written documentation as well as community training
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Developing of a heritage protection program in Tibet as a model project in two villages, and the preparation of documentary films
As a result of CHP guidance and interventions buildings have been preserved, villagers have rediscovered their own cultural history, smuggled cultural relics have been retrieved, looting of heritage sites has been exposed and, perhaps most importantly, Chinese citizens are becoming aware of their role in cultural heritage preservation.
CHP's projects are classified into one of seven general areas of interest: Beijing Old City Preservation; Minority Cultural Heritage Protection; Illicit Excavation and Trafficking Prevention; Local Community Mobilization; Professional Training and Education; Legal Support; and CHP Hotline services. Projects in each one of these areas of interest are designed to achieve our six CHP objectives.
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