June 10 marked China’s first Cultural and Natural Heritage Day. The festival, whose name was changed in 2016 by the State Council from the former Cultural Heritage Day, is held on the second Saturday of every June.

The event, focusing on the theme of dynamic intangible cultural heritage inheritance this year, is a collective showcase of achievements on intangible cultural heritage protection since the 18th CPC National Congress held in 2012.

Organized by the Ministry of Culture, over 1,700 activities were held nationwide.

Changzhou also hosted a series of activities to show its achievements in historical and cultural heritage protection.

On the morning, the opening ceremony of 2017 Chinese Cultural and Natural Heritage Day (Changzhou) Activities was held in Canal 5 Creative Campus. City leaders Xu Guanghui, Chen Jianguo, Fang Guoqiang and Xu Weinan attended the event and jointly inaugurated the Grand Canal Museum.

Grand Canal Changzhou Section is currently the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Changzhou. The museum covers an area of over 900 square meters, dividing into five themes of the history, remains, scenery, people and improvement.