Toshiyuki Kono

（President of ICOMOS，Professor of Kyushu University）

In 2019,the World Heritage Committee held in Baku acknowledged the Outstanding Universal Values of the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City,applying criteria (iii) and (iv),and inscribed the property in the World Heritage List. The Committee confirmed that the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City are an outstanding example of early urban civilization (3300—2300 BCE),which present earthen monuments,urban planning,a water conservation system and a social hierarchy expressed in differentiated burials in cemeteries within the property,in four areas,i.e. the Area of Yaoshan Site,the Area of High-dam at the Mouth of the Valley,the Area of Low-dam on the Plain and the Area of City Site.

This decision of the World Heritage reflects the scientific deliberations in the preparation stage. When I had the privilege to visit the property,I was deeply impressed with the investigations made by the Chinese colleagues who were involved with the preparation. I would like to congratulate them again on this achievement. Thereafter,when I was recently invited to the International Symposium on Water and Culture held in Tokyo in January 2020,I gladly mentioned Liangzhu in my speech in front of eminent guests as one of the earliest examples of water management system.

Currently,1 732 properties are still on the Tentative List of the World Heritage Convention,which is more than the number of the currently inscribed World Heritage sites. It is likely that this figure will continue to increase. Under such circumstances,maintaining the scientific credibility of the World Heritage List may become more challenging. A basis of the credibility of the World Heritage Convention is a scientifically well-prepared nomination and the Advisory Bodies’ rigorous evaluation. I am pleased to say that Liangzhu is one of the good examples.