2 . Along the rocky Algerian coast, just east of where Mount Chenoua slides into the Medi-terranean, has stood Tipasa for more than 2,500 years. It is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in North Africa.

Tipasa fell into ruin in the sixth century. Both its main group of buildings on the coast and an inland monumental tomb(陵墓)surrounded by the olive trees were all forgotten. Most of the ancient city, in fact, remains buried under the ground. For the last few decades, however, what’s left of Tipasa’s past has been increasingly surrounded on three sides by the expanding modern town of Tipasa. And to the north, the waves lap ever closer.

“What’s special about Tipasa, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site since 1982, is its unique landscape, the shared presence of history and archaeology, culture, nature and architecture. It’s the spirit of the place,” said Lynda, who has studied Tipasa and the ongoing challenges from both rapid urbanization(城市化)and inadequate(不足的)site management.

Now, Tipasa is entering a new period, perhaps its last: It’s become a symbol of an entire continent’s heritage in great danger. In a recent Nature Climate Change paper, a team reported the results: How sea level rise is affecting nearly 300 World Heritage Sites around Africa’s roughly 20,000 miles of coastline. About 20 percent of the sites examined, including Tipasa, are already at high risk from flooding and erosion(侵蚀).By 2050 that figure is expected to more than three times.

The site’s 21st-century problems have only increased in the last two decades. UNESCO has repeatedly threatened to strip the site of World Heritage status. As recently as 2021, the organization noted a series of problems at Tipasa, such as modern building, including a proposed port, that threatened the site’s completeness.

4 . For people who are planning a trip, a visit to a museum might not be the first thing they think of. After all, there are plenty of ways to appreciate the world’s civilization, gain exciting experiences and spend quality time with family and friends.     1    

Museums are where people learn something new, at every age! Are you interested in something specific?     2    . There, you will find yourself drawn in and inspired! Museums are a fantastic place to learn about a region’s history, scientific achievements, major cultural events, and of course, dinosaurs. They also design exhibitions related to visual arts, industrial innovations and anything that inspires an individual to learn about the past and create new paths to the future.

    3     They will surely be an exciting part of the educational experience with the main purpose to expose children to knowledge of various fields and expand their horizons. To achieve that, museums are working to create meaningful and engaging activities, interactive and knowledge-based.

Museums support tourism. They are tourism promoters in small towns and large cities. Museums aren’t a burden on tax revenue (税收) or a separate concern from other city projects.     4    Statistics show that museums support more than 726, 000 jobs in America.

Museums shape communities. They have activities and exhibitions through which visitors can learn about local history. Museums are places where a shared heritage is celebrated and a collective identity is formed. They provide an interesting public space where people meet and talk to each other.     5    

5 . “It is the honor of a lifetime to repair precious ancient works, “says Hou Xue, a representative inheritor (继承人) of the state-level intangible cultural heritage of producing gold-inlaid lacquerware (金漆镶嵌).

Hou majored in art and design at the North China University of Technology. At that time, he hoped to find a job in a newspaper as an art editor. But, as chance would have it, he met Bai Qun, the inheritor of the craft of gold-inlaid lacquerware, who invited him to visit an exhibition of palace arts. Elegant works there appealed to Hou, and more importantly, he was surprised and deeply impressed by the extremely beautiful craftsmanship. Hou was so impressed, that when Bai asked whether Hou would like to learn this craft and start a career, he nodded without hesitation.

At Bai’s recommendation, Hou formally joined Beijing Gold Lacquer Inlaid Co. Ltd. in 2009. Every day, he got up at 4 a. m. in order to be at work by 8 a. m. , and took a bus to go back to his dormitory in the evening. In summer, it was very hot in the workshop, while in winter, it was freezing. From 2014 to 2016, he worked in the Palace Museum, focusing on protective restoration (修复) and replication (复制) work. Through several years of devoted study and practice, Hou has won many honors and titles.

In early 2022, the company joined hands with other local museums to launch handcrafted watches. The highlight of these watches lies in their appearance, which combines Po-phase flowers, highly favored in the Tang Dynasty, and the artistic concept of Maurits Cornelis Escher, a famous Dutch printmaker. The watch was soon sold out after being put on the market. Hou was thus inspired by this experience. “Excellent intangible cultural heritage works are not those thrown into museums for exhibition, but those that live up to modern aesthetic (审美的) level and modern life, “he said .

Hou said that he gauges an intangible cultural heritage item by the value it produces and the profits it brings. “If consumers are not interested in such works and inheritors can’t earn a living by doing the job, then these works have no value and the inheritance is worthless,” he added.

7 . “The arrow shot is so straight that it hits the bull’s eye, the young people will have good luck…” Dargye sang as he worked on his handmade bag.

Dargye, 56, an artist who excels at traditional craftsmanship and Tibetan folk music in Drinba village in Dragyib district, Nyingchi, Tibet autonomous region, remembers many folk songs he learned from his father and uncle. Now, it’s his turn to pass them on.

“I have liked traditional songs and dances since I was a child,” said Dargye, who has four apprentices (学徒).“The songs tell the histories of our ancestors and carry our unique culture, and-it’s always a lot of fun to perform these traditional songs and dances at various gatherings.” The song topics vary from archery, love, to labor and praise for the land. In addition to teaching these songs to/his family members and apprentices, he also uses social media platforms such as WeChat to teach songs.

His daughter, Chok Butri, also admires the folk culture. After posting a video of her daughter, Tsering Kyi, dancing on Douyin, she gained a lot of new fans on the popular short-video platform. “We are modern people living in a modern era, so it’s important and our responsibility that we use modern tools to pass on our traditional culture to make it last forever.” said Chok Butri, adding that she often posts songs and dances on WeChat and Douyin.

Dargye and his fellow villagers also recreate songs, adding modern elements such as aircraft and trains to the lyrics. Besides singing and dancing, Dargye makes handicrafts decorated with Tibetan cultural elements, including various hide and hair ropes, bags made of leather and cloth, and knife sheaths.

The local government encourages villagers to inherit (继承) and develop folk songs and other forms of traditional culture. Dargye’s efforts to preserve folk culture have been acknowledged by the government. In 2014, he was chosen as a county-level intangible (无形的) cultural inheritor and receives funds every year.

9 . Different countries celebrate Christmas in different ways. We asked some of our friends to explain what happens in their countries. This is what they told us:

France

In France, Christmas is always called Noël. Everyone has a Christmas tree, sometimes decorated in the old way with red ribbons and real white wax candles. Fir trees in the garden are often decorated too with lights on all night.

Father Christmas is called Père Noël. The Christmas meal is an important family gathering with good meat and the best wine. Few people send Christmas cards. More people send New Year cards to wish everyone good luck and joy for the New Year. These days Christmas lunch is a starter of foie gras (a strong tasting pate made from goose liver) followed by lunch of seafood — usually including lobsters and oysters.

New Zealand

Christmas starts for us with gifts under the tree, to be opened on Christmas morning. Then it’s onto a Christmas lunch either at home or at one’s parents place. Turkey or chicken with all the trimmings (佐料) is eaten. Then comes tea time. It is a BBQ for friends and family to get together, and have a few beers or wines with the meal!

Russia

In the days of the Soviet Union, Christmas was not celebrated very much. New Year was the important time — when “Father Frost” brought presents to children. With the fall of Communism, Christmas can be openly celebrated either on December 25th; or more often on January 7th. This unusual date is because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old “Julian” calendar for religious celebration days. Special Christmas food includes cakes, pies and “meat dumplings”.

Sweden

The most important day is Christmas Eve. A special Christmas meal is eaten on Christmas Eve — ham (pork), herring fish, and brown beans — and this is the time when families give presents to each other. Many people attend a church meeting early on Christmas Day.