Colin Chinnery, co-founder of Beijing's Sound Art Museum, captivated attendees at the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting this week with a vision of cultural unity bridging divides. In his first appearance at the high-level forum, Chinnery observed a striking consensus among global participants: the urgent need to harness shared cultural heritage as a foundation for international cooperation.
Speaking to CGTN, Chinnery revealed groundbreaking work on a national database preserving China's natural soundscapes, from bird calls in Yunnan's rainforests to wind patterns in Xinjiang's deserts. "This isn't just archiving," he explained. "It's about using digital technology to create living connections between civilizations through sensory experiences."
The project aligns with China's environmental conservation efforts, documenting ecosystems in protected areas like the Three-River-Source National Park. Chinnery emphasized that such initiatives demonstrate how cultural institutions can address global challenges: "When we preserve a forest's soundscape, we're not just saving nature – we're safeguarding a universal human experience."
