During the 2025 "Global Mayors Dialogue·Dunhuang" in Dunhuang, Northwest China's Gansu province, a major node on the ancient Silk Road, the city showcased its innovative practices in cultural urban governance to global participants.

The event welcomed 200 attendees, including 23 international representatives from government delegations and cultural institutions across nine countries. They embarked on a two-day journey of exploration ahead of the main meeting, held on Oct 13.

After visiting the Dunhuang Night Market and several cultural spaces, Massimo Andreoli, chairman of the Venice Carnival and artistic director of the carnival's opening ceremony, was deeply impressed by the handicrafts inspired by Dunhuang's cultural elements. "Dunhuang uses its own ancient heritage to promote itself. You can transform the heritage into a resource to create money and jobs for the young generations," he said.

Dunhuang's model of transforming cultural heritage into a development resource allows community residents to become beneficiaries rather than merely guardians, thereby creating a virtuous cycle of protection.

Faced with severe environmental challenges, Dunhuang has established ecological barriers to protect historical sites. Burak Deste, general secretary of the Manisa Metropolitan Municipality in Turkiye, highly commended the innovative methods to prevent and control sand erosion in an effort to protect the Mogao Grottoes — a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

"For many centuries, those historical sites were without control and protection, but now we have seen in this place how they control the movement of the sand," he said. "It's not just the controlling of the sand. It's the protection of the relics and cultural heritage."

In the digital age, Dunhuang is utilizing cutting-edge technologies to breathe new life into cultural heritage, enhancing the tourist experience while better protecting the heritage.

Ozan Kivrak, a council member of the Manisa Metropolitan Municipality, expressed excitement after experiencing Dunhuang culture's digital displays.

"It was very amazing. We have to construct this AI technology in Manisa." He proposed fostering exchanges between Manisa and Dunhuang to improve AI technology and protect heritage.